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THE 




HOU^El^EEpEI( 



I ESPECIALLY ADAPTED TO TEE EVERY DAY WANTS OF 

AMERICAN HOUSEWIVES ; 



EMBRACING 

SEVERAL THOUSAND THOROUGHLY TESTED AND APPROVED RECIPES, CARE 

AND CULTURE OF CHILDREN, BIRDS. AND HOUSE PLANTS; FLOWER 

AND WINDOW GARDENING, ETC.; WITH MANY VALUABLE 

HINTS ON HOME DECORATION. ' 




DETROIT, MICH. 

M. W. ELLSWORTH & COMPANY. 

1882. 






COPYKIGHT BY 

M. W. Ellsworth and F. B. Dickerson, 

1883. 



)TO( 

glx0Sje gousjeitrixrjes 

WHO DELIGHT 

IN MAKING HOME A PLACE OF PEACE, COMFOP.T 

AKD ENJOYMENT, 

THIS BOOK IS RESPECTFULLY DEDICATED. 



ILLUSTRATIONS. 



Bride's Cake, 42 

Christmas Cake 50 

Wedding Cake, 75 

Floating Island, 90 

Coquettes of Rice • . . . . lOT 

Curistmas Plum Pudding 120 

Eggs a la Bonne Femme, 154 

Mi^iiROOMS, . 184 

Potato Pie, 234 

Section of Bullock, 273' 

Beep, 275 

Sheep, 27a 

Lamb, . . 27a 

" Calf, . . 273 

Aitchbone of Beef, . 277 

Brisket op Beep 27S 

Ribs of Beef, 280 

Sirloin op Beep, 281 

Roast Quarter op Lamb, . 290 

Leg op Mutton, 294 

Back, 295 

Fowl, to Carve, 31S 

Goose, " .317 

House Pests, 358 

Sleep '. . 447 

Aquarium in Window 489 

Tank, 490 

Tank (3) 491 

Marine Aquarium, 495 

Trellised Window, 510 

514 

Creepers, . . . . Sift 

Window Garden, 526 

.'....- 527 

Ferneries 52d 



PREFACE. 



j [N the compilation of this work, we have striven to give the 
greatest amount of information possible, consistent with the 
plan adopted, and to so arrange it that any subject sought can 
he easily and quickly found; and, when found, that it shall contain 
just the information sought. The tendency of the age is toward 
the practical, and he who would gain the attention of the public 
must be concise and to the point. 

Our aim is to assist in the management of the household, but 
especially would we enter our plea for improved cookery. Ill- 
cooked meals are a source of discomfort. Bad cooking is waste — 
waste of money and loss of comfort. Among the "common things " 
which educators should teach the rising generation, this should not 
be overlooked. It is the commonest and yet the most neglected of 
the branches of female education. 

In this department we have endeavored to give only those recipes 
whicli have stood the test of actual use and received the endorse- 
ment of the best cooks and caterers of the day, and all of them can 
be depended upon as being just what they purport to be. 

We have considered it unnecessary to add the names of the con- 
tributors, as most of them would be nearly or quite unknown to the 
reader, and, therefore, would carry no weight of authority with 
them, and would serve but to occupy space, which is better used 
for additional recipes. 



Ti PREFACE. 

The greater part of human labor is occupied in the direct pro- 
duction of the materials for human food. All these articles — corn, 
beef, mutton and such like — are handed over to the female half of 
the human species to be converted into food for the sustenance of 
themselves, their husbands, and their families. How do they use 
their power? Can they cook? Have they been taught to cook? 
Is it not a fact that, in this country, cooking is one of the lost 
or undiscovered arts? 

The most worthless unit in a family is an ill-managing wife, or an 
indolent woman of any sort. If she knows nothing of her kitchen, 
and is at the mercy of the cook, the table will soon become intoler- 
able — bad soup, soft and flabby fish, meat burned outside and raw 
within. The husband will soon fly from the Barmecide feast, and 
take refuge in his club, where he will not only find food that he 
can digest, but at the same time escape from the domestic discord 
that usually accompanies ill-cooked victuals at home. 

In short we want common sense in cookery, as in most other 
things. Food should be used and not abused. Much of it is now 
absolutely wasted — wasted for want of a little art in cooking it. 

The advancement of a people is measured by its proficiency in 
the cuisine. Vice and crime consort with foul living. In those 
places demoralization is the normal condition. There is an absence 
of cleanliness, of decency, of decorum — all tending to foster idle- 
ness, drunkenness and vicious abandonment. 

Besides the cooking recipes, we have added such other informa- 
tion as is of importance to every housekeeper. In its completeness 
we now present The Successful Housekeeper to a discrimin- 
ating public, with the hope that it may make easier the burden and 
more pleasant the cares of the over-burdened wives and mothers of 
our land. 



THE 



SUCCESSFUL HOUSEKEEPER. 



CHAPTER I. 

BREAD MAKING. 

il 

[F it be true that bread is the staff of life, no one can be insensible 
to the statement which has been made by authors on the sub- 
ject so many times of late, that we make a great mistake, from 
a dietetic point of view, in the kind of flour which we select for 
making bread. The most nutritious bread is not the whitest, but 
rathjr the reverse, since the branny portion of wheat, which is sys- 
tematically rejected, contains very valuable substances and salts 
that, takyn into the body, go to form bone, ilesh, and nerve, as well 
as to assist in the digestion of starchy matters. The central poi*- 
tion of wheat, or that portion Avhich forms the ordinary flour of 
commerce, consists solely of starch, which is not a flesh-forming 
substance, but a heat-giving principle of food. The bran con- 
tains phosphates, of which bones and nerves are so largely made 
up; gluten, or flesh-forming substance; and cerealine, a peculiar 
body which has the character of a ferment, changing starchy mat- 
ter in such a way as to be more readily absorbed and utilized by 
the system in the act of digestion. 

It stands to reason, therefore, that flour made from the entire 
wheat contains the very substances which are needed to make it 
nutritious, and that the removal of the bran in the making of flour^ 



8 BREAD MAKING. 

as ordinarily practiced, entails the loss of very important items of 
diet. Further, it is clear that the pliysiologist is right in recom- 
mending the use of whole grain flour, provided that there is no 
special drawback on account of its physical character. But this is 
just what has been the case hitherto. When the bran is mixed with 
the ordinary flour and taken, it is found to be difficult of digestion, 
and, in some cases, to irritate; the latter result being due to the 
mechanical action of the bran scales upon the intestines, and hence 
there has been a real difliculty in extending the consumption of 
brown bread. But recent improvements in milling machinery have 
to a great extent overcome these difiiculties, and as a consequence, 
the consumption of wheat in its many and various preparations is 
correspondingly increased. 

For good bread three things are essential — good flour, good 
yeast, and great care. 

Yeast that will not Sour. 

Good bread cannot be made from poor yeast, and here is a recipe 
that will not sour: One bowl of flour, one bowl of sugar, one cup 
of salt, one tablespoonful ginger. Take a double handful of hops 
and pour over them five quarts of water, boil an hour, and have as 
much water on at the last, and pour scalding hot through a strainer 
on to the other ingredients, stirring briskly; when cold add a cup 
of good yeast and let rise thirty-six hours, pour into a perfectly 
sweet jug, and keep in a cool place. A cupful of. this added to a 
quart of lukewarm water, with flour enough to make a stiff batter, 
will make two loaves of bread. Set this at night and knead in 
more flour the next morning, keep in a place where it will be of 
even temperature, raising it as fast as possible; when raised again, 
knead a good deal, using but little flour, and put into bread pans; 
when well raised bake slowly three-fourths of an hour. Part of 
this tak n out and raised once or twice, with sufficient butter or 
lard, and the white of an egg added, makes excellent rolls for tea. 



BREAD MAKING. 9 

A Good Reliable Yeast. 

Steep slowly, in a porcelain or bright tin kettle, one large hand- 
ful of hops, tied in a cloth, boil six large potatoes, sliced thin, in 
two quarts of water; when done very soft, mash till smooth and 
creamy. Have ready one pint of flour, wet and rubbed to a smooth 
paste; pour into this the potato water, boiling hot, stirring 
smoothly; let it boil a few minutes, stirring all the time; add the 
hop water and potatoes, two tablespoonfuls of salt, and one cup of 
white sugar; stir thoroughly, and set away to cool. When milk 
warm, stir in one cup of yeast; let it rise in a warm place twelve 
hours; put it into an air-tight vessel, previously well scalded, and 
set in the cellar. This will keep from four to six weeks. Always 
make new yeast before the old is gone, in order to have some to 
start with. Be very particular with every new batch of yeast, to 
have the vessel in which it is kept well cleaned, and scalded with 
hot saleratus water. Much depends upon keeping this sweet and 
clean. 

Another Good Yeast. 

Boil two potatoes with a good handful of hops, tied in a bag; 
mash the potatoes when done, in the yeast dish, and add two tea- 
cupfuls of flour, and scald with the potato water; when cool, add 
a yeast cake soaked in warm water. Dry hop yeast can always be 
found at grocery stores. 

Good Home-made Bread. 
The superiority of good home-made bread has long been acknowl- 
edged, yet how few know how to make a really good article of 
bread, therefore so many housekeepers depend on the baker, which 
is at least very expensive, to say nothing of the injury the constant 
use of baker's bread causes to the healtlr of delicate persons and 
children, as all baker's bread contains alum, which causes the loaves 
to increase in weight, as it makes the flour absorb more water. 
Therefore a pound loaf of baker's bread will contain less nourish- 
ment than a loaf of home-made bread of equal weight. Economy, 



10 BREAD MAKING. 

therefore, should make every housekeeper her own bread maker, as 
baker's bread dries and becomes stale much quicker than home- 
made. 

To make first-rate bread, the sponge should be set over night in 
a warm place and raised and kneaded three times; the first time 
from fifteen to twenty minutes — the more the better. If this rule 
is followed the bread will present an even surface when sliced ofi", 
and not the loose, crumbly appeai-ance which is so often seen in 
bread. 

Take three quarts of good flour, sift and warm; make a cavity in 
the center, add a large teaspoonful of salt; take one pint of new 
milk, or water boiling hot, pour into this and stir quickly; cool off 
with one quart of cold milk or water; add one cup of yeast; mix 
well together; then cover well and set in a moderately warm place 
(if in cold weather) ; this will be I'cady to knead up before break- 
fast, if set over night. Slashing the dough with a sharp knife adds 
to its lightness and texture. When well kneaded the first time cover 
tightly, watch closely, and as soon as light knead as before, but be 
very careful not to work in much flour; only keep enoiigh on the 
board to prevent sticking, as all the flour that is added after the 
first kneading only makes the bread hard and dry. As soon as it 
is light the second time divide into loaves and reserve a portion for 
biscuit so that the bread will not be cut till cold. Mold smoothly, 
put into tins, let rise fifteen or twenty minutes in a warm place; 
bake half an hour in moderately hot oven. When done, set on 
hearth, cover with double thick cloth five minutes, turn out on 
same cloth; let stand until cool; put in stone jar and keep covered. 
Always keep a cloth folded in the bottom of the jar to take up 
the dampness which naturally collects. 

Yeast Bread. 

To three quarts water add one teacupful of yeast, stir into 
enough sifted flour to make a stiff batter; do this in the evening 
and set in a warm place. In the morning mix stiff; it will soon 



BREAD MAKING. 11 

rise, then mold out into the tins. No certain time can be given for 
the time of rising, as that depends on the temperature. 

Potato Bread. 
Pare and boil six good-sized potatoes, drain off the water, mash 
fine and pour over them about three pints of cold water and run 
through a colander; add flour until this is a thin batter, then put 
in a coffee cup of yeast from the jug; let stand until it rises, then 
stir into it flour as much as you can with a spoon and let it rise 
again; work in enough more flour to make stiff" enough for bread 
and then let rise the third time; when light this time, work into 
loaves and let rise. All the flour must be sifted. 

Anotijer. 

Boil four potatoes to the loaf; mash when done and add two tea- 
cupfuls of flour and scald with the potato water; when cool add the 
yeast and let stand till bed time, then sponge and knead in the 
morning; make quite stiff and knead fifteen or twenty minutes; let 
rise again and mold into loaves. 

Milk Sponge Bread. 

Put a pint of boiling water into a pitcher with a teaspoonful of 
sugar, one-fourth teaspoonful of salt, and the same of soda; let it 
stand till you can bear your finger in it, then add flour to make a 
thick batter; beat it hard for two minutes. Now place the pitcher 
in a kettle of hot water — not hot enough to scald the mixture; keep 
the water at the same temperature till the emptyings are light. If 
set early in the morning and carefully watched they will be ready 
by eleven o'clock to make a sponge the same as for other bread, 
with a quart of very warm milk. Let this sponge get very light, 
then make into loaves and set to rise again, taking care that they 
do not get too light this time before putting into the oven, or the 
bread will be dry and tasteless. The emptyings pitcher and bread 
pan or tray must be perfectly clean and sweet. Scald them out 
' with saleratus or lime water. 



12 BREA.D MA.KING. 

Salt Rising Bread. 

In the evening scald two tablespoonfuls of corn meal, a pinch of 
salt and one of sugar, with sweet milk, and set in a warm place till 
morning; then scald a teaspoonful of sugar, one of salt, half as 
much soda, with a pint of boiling water, add cold water till luke- 
warm, then put in the mush made the night before, and thicken to 
a batter with flour; put in a close vessel in a kettle of warm water 
(not too hot); when light, mix stiff, adding a little shortening; 
mold into loaves. It will soon rise, and will not take as long to 
bake as yeast bread. 

Salt Rising Bread, No. 2. 

In the morning take a quart dish and scald it out, then put in a 
pint of warm water; put in a teaspoonful of salt and a little pinch 
of soda, two or three tablespoonfuls of corn meal, and flour enough 
to make a thick batter. Stir well, and set the dish in a kettle of 
warm water, and keep at the same temperature (just so you can 
bear your hand in it). If water rises on the top, stir in briskly one 
or two tablespoonfuls of flour, and put back into the kettle. If the 
flour is good the emptyings will be light within three or four 
hours; then take flour enough in a bread pan to make three or four 
loaves of bread, make a hole in the center, put in the emptyings, 
and fill the same dish with warm water; add a little salt, stir it in 
with a spoon, mix a thick sponge and cover it with some of the 
flour, and set in a warm place to rise. When light, mold it into 
loaves and set to rise again (it does not require as much kneading 
as yeast bread). Bake from a half to three-fourths of an hour. 
Railroad emptyings are made in the same way, of middlings instead 
of flour. 

Corn Bread. 

One pint sweet milk, one pint sour milk, one pint flour, two pints 
meal, one teaspoonful syrup, one teaspoonful salt, one teaspoonful 
soda. Steam three hours. 



BREAD MAKING. 13 

Corn Bread, No. 2. 

Two eggs well beaten, one cup sugar, half cup butter, one cup 
sweet milk, half cup sour milk, half cup wheat flour, one and a half 
cups corn meal, two teaspoonfuls of any good baking powder. 

Corn Bread, No. 3. 

One pint buttermilk, two eggs, one pint corn meal, two table- 
spoonfuls melted butter, a little salt, and one teaspoonful soda. 

Corn Bread, No. 4. 

One pint com meal, one pint flour, one pint buttennilk, one tea- 
cupful molasses, one teaspoonful soda, one teaspoonful salt. Bake 
just two hours. 

Grandmother's Indian Bread. 

Three cups sweet milk, three cups com meal, one cup wheat 
flour, one half cup molasses, one teaspoonful of soda, one teaspoon- 
ful salt. Put into a buttered bake-dish, and set in a steamer and 
steam three hours. 

Quick Graham Bread. 

One and a half pints sour milk, two-thirds cup cooking molasses, 
a half teaspoonful salt, two even teaspoonfuls of saleratus dissolved 
in a little hot water, and as much Graham flour as can be stirred in 
evenly with a spoon. Put into a well-greased pan, and bake imme- 
diately. It will require from an hour and a half to two hours to 
bake. 

Baking Powder . Graham Bread. 

One and one-half pints Graham flour, one-half pint flour, one 
tablespoonful of sugar, one teaspoonful of salt, two teaspoonfuls 
baking powder; mix with a pint and a half of milk, or equal parts 
of milk and water. Sift together Graham, flour, sugar, salt, and 
baking powder; add the milk, or milk and water, mix rapidly into 
a soft dough, put into a greased tin, bake in rather hot oven for 
forty minutes. Protect the loaf with paper the first fifteen minutes. 



14 BREAD MAKING. 

Brown Bread of Graham Flour. 
Take one cup of milk; add hot water to warm; thicken with, 
sifted Hour, sufficient to make a sjjonge; stand over night in a 
warm place; in the morning add half a cup of milk, with a cup of 
hot watir, one cup molasses, one cup butter, one teaspoonful salt; 
mix in (xraham flour till thick, and smooth with a spoon; pour into 
bread pans half full; let stand in a warm place until the pans are 
nearly full; bake an hour in a moderately hot oven. Keep a steady 
fire. 

Graham Bread. 

To a scant quart of warm water add a heaping teaspoonful of 
salt, a good half cup of brown sugar; stir in a pint of the sponge 
made of flour for potato bread; add as much Graham flour as 
can be stirred in; put into baking pans and let rise until light; 
bake in a moderate oven, and when done wrap in a damp towel 
until cool. 

Graham Bread, No. 2. 

Take one and two-thirds cups of water or milk and a small piece 
of butter or lard; mix quite thick Avith Graham flour or Arlington 
wheat meal, which is better; add half a cup of good yeast and set 
to rise over night. In the morning dissolve one-half teaspoonful 
soda in a little water and add one-half cup of molasses; stir this 
into the bread, mix quite soft and put in baking tin to rise. Bake 
thoroughly. A nice rye and wheat loaf may be made in the same 
way, using one and one-half cups sifted rye and the rest wheat 
flour. If you wish a light colored loaf use only one cup of rye and 
sweeten with sugar. 

Brown Bread. 

Take two quarts of corn meal; scald with one quart of boiling 
milk or water; when cool add one quart of Graham flour, one large 
spoonful salt, one cup brown sugar or best molasses, one cup home- 
made yeast, one cup flour. Mix with warm water as stiff as can 
easily be stirred ; put in deep basins; steam two hours and bake 



BREAD MAKING. 



15 



one 



Before baking baste with a few spoonfuls of sweet cream or 
milk; this makes a soft, tender crust. 

Biscuit is made from the same dough as the bread, rolled out and 
spread with a small quantity of lard, which must be very fresh and 
sweet. Double the dough together, roll and spread again three 
times; then cut in small biscuits; place on buttered tins; let stand 
half an hour; bake fifteen minutes until a very light brown. Cover 
with cloth a few minutes and slip off on the same until ready for 
use. All bread, biscuit, loaf cake or doughnuts made from yeast 
should rise after being mixed before being baked; if put into the 
oven or fried directly they are never light, as the dough has no 
chance to recover its elasticity. 

Brown Bread, No. 2. 

One pint of rye meal sifted, one pound of coarse yellow Indian 
meal sifted, one quart of sour milk, salt, half cup of molasses or 
less, one heaping teaspoonful of saleratus dissolved in a little hot 
water. Steam three hours and-a-half in a tin pail set in a kettle of 
boiling water. 

Boston Brown Bread. 

Flour one-half pint, one pint corn meal, one-half pint rye 
flour, one teaspoonful salt, one tablespoonful brown sugar 
two teaspoonfuls baking powder, one-half pint water; sift flour, 
corn meal, rye flour, sugar, salt and baking powder together 
thoroughly; peel, Avash, and well boil two mealy potatoes, rub 
them through the sieve, diluting with water. When this is quite 
cold use it to mix the flour, etc., into a batter like cake; pour it 
into a well-greased mold, having a cover (a tin pail will do), place 
it in a kettle or sauce pan half full of boiling water, when the 
loaf may steam or simmer one hour; then take off the cover and 
bake in the oven a half hour. 

Rye Bread. 

Make a sponge as for wheat bread, and let it rise over night; 
then add two-thirds cup molasses, one teaspoonful salt, one quart 



16 BREAD MAKING. 

milk and water — equal parts — and mix with rye flour, not as stiff 
as wheat bread, and bake. 

Rye and Indian Bread. 

Scald two quarts Indian meal by pouring over it just boiling 
water enough to wet it, one quart rye meal or flour, one-half tea- 
cupful molasses, two teaspoonfuls salt, one of soda, one cup of 
yeast; make as thick as can be Stirred with a spoon, mixing with 
warm water, and let rise over night; put in a bake tin, let stand a 
half hour, and bake from four to six hours. 

Rye Bread with Baking Powder. 

One pint rye flour, one-half pint corn meal, one-half pint flour, 
one teaspoonful sugar, one teaspoonful salt, two teaspoonfuls 
baking powder, one tablespoonful lard, nearly one pint milk. Sift 
together rye flour, corn meal, flour, sugar, salt and powder, rub in 
the lard cold, add the milk and mix into a smooth batter, as for 
cake; pour into a well greased tin, and bake in a moderate oven 
three-quarters of an hour; protect with a paper the first quarter. 

HoYLETON Bread. 

Five cups Indian meal, seven cups wheat flour, two cups rye 
meal, four cups buttermilk, two cups sweet milk, one-half cup 
molasses, two teaspoonfuls salt, two teaspoonfuls soda. Put it in a 
three quart pail that has a cover; let it stand near the fire thirty 
minutes with the cover off, to rise, then put on cover, and bake or 
steam four hours. 

Norwegian Bread, for Dyspeptics. 

One pint barley meal, one-half pint Graham, one-half pint flour, 
one teaspoonful salt, two teaspoonfuls baking powder, one pint 
milk. Sift together barley meal, Graham, flour, salt and powder. 
Mix into a firm batter with the milk, pour into a greased tin, and 
bake in a moderate oven forty minutes; cover with a greased paper 
the first twenty minutes. 



BREAD MAKING. 17 

Oat Meal Bread. 

One-half pint oat meal, one and-a-half pints flonr, half teaspoonful 
salt, three teaspoonfuls baking powder, three-fourths pint milk; 
boil the oat meal in one and-a-half pints salted water for one hour. 
Then dilute it with the milk. Set aside to get perfectly cold. Sift 
together flour, salt, powder, and when the oat meal preparation is 
cold place it in a bread bowl; add to it the flour, etc.; mix smoothly 
together, pour from the bowl into the greased tin, and bake in a 
moderate oven three-fourths of an hour; protect the loaf with paper 
the first twenty minutes. 

Rice Bread. 

Boil one cupful of rice in a pint of water; when tender, add one- 
half pint milk; when cold, add one and-a-half pints flour sifted, with 
a teaspoonful sugar, half teaspoonful salt, two teaspoonfuls baking 
powder; mix together smoothly, pour into greased tin, and bake 
forty minutes, 

8 



CHAPTER 11. 

BREAKFAST AND TEA CAKES. 

[^ Light Biscuit. 

rN kneading bread, set aside a small loaf for biscuits. Into 
this work a heaping tablespoonful of lard and butter mixed, 
and a teaspoonful of sugar. The more it is worked, the 
whiter it will be. As it rises, mold it down twice before making 
into biscuit. Roll out and cut with a biscuit cutter. The dough 
should be quite soft. 

Butter Biscuit. 
Sift one quart of flour into a pan, and make a hollow in the center 
large enough to admit a pint of milk and a coffee-cup of yeast; mix 
into a sponge, set it to rise; in the morning add one pound of 
melted butter, and knead as much flour as will, with another pint 
of warm milk or Avater, make a soft dough ; make out the biscuit in 
pans to rise; when sufticiently light, bake in a well-heated oven. 

Soda Biscuit. 
One quart of sifted flour, an even teaspoonful of soda dissolved 
in a pint of buttermilk, or sour milk, heaping tablespoonful of lard, 
a pinch of salt. Bake in an oven — not too hot — after raising fifteen 
or twenty minutes. If sour cream is to be had, use it instead of 
milk, leaving out the shortening. 

Dixie Biscuit. 
Three pints of flour, two eggs, two tablespoonfuls of lard, one 
small cup of yeast, one cup of milk; mix at 11 o'clock, roll out at 
4 o'clock, and cut with two sizes of cutters, putting the smaller one 
on top; let'rise until supper. Bake twenty minutes. 

18 



BREAKFAST AND TEA CAKES. 19 

Baking Powder Biscuit. 
To begin with, have a hot oven; have the flour sifted, and roll 
dough as soft as it can be handled. Then more baking pow- 
der is needed than is usually given. For each teacupful of flour 
use a teaspoonful of powder; butter the size of a hen's egg is suffi- 
cient for a quart of flour; after rubbing powder and butter into the 
flour, mix soft with cold water or milk, stirring with a spoon; roll 
lightly and bake at once. 

Cream of Tartar Biscuit. 

One quart flour, a tablespoonful of butter, and a tablespoonful of 
lard, a half teaspoonful of salt, one teaspoonful of soda, two tea- 
spoonfuls of ci'eam of tartar. Sift the flour and cream of tartar 
together, rub the butter and lard very thoroughly through it; dis- 
solve the soda in a pint of milk or water (if water, use more short- 
ening) ; mix all together. Roll out, adding as little flour as joossi- 
ble; cut with a biscuit cutter, and bake immediately in a quick 
oven. 

- English Biscuit. 

One and a-half pints of flour, one coffee-cup full corn starch, three 
tablespoonfuls sugar, a large pinch of salt, two lai-ge teaspoonfuls 
baking powdei-, three tablespoonfuls lard, one egg, one-half pint 
milk, one-half cup currants, one tablespoonful coriander seed (if 
desired). Sift together flour, corn starch, sugar, salt, and baking 
powder; rub in the lard cold; add the eggs beaten, milk, currants 
well cleaned; mix into a smooth dough soft enough to handle, flour 
the board, turn out the dough, i-oll it out to half an inch thickness, 
cut out with a round cutter, lay them on a greased baking tin, and 
bake in a rather hot oven twenty minutes; rub over Avitli a little 
butter on a clean piece of linen when taken from the oven. 

Graham Biscuits. 
Take one quart water or milk, butter the size of an egg, three 
tablespoonfuls sugar, half cup yeast, and a little salt; take enough 
white flour to mix a batter with the water; add the other ingredi- 



20 BREAKFAST AND TEA CAKES. 

ents, and as ranch Graham flonr as can be stirred in with a spoon; 
set it away until morning; tlien grease a pan, flour hands, take a 
lump of dough tlie size of a hen's (^gg, roll lightly between the 
palms; let them rise twenty minutes, and bake in a rather hot oven. 

Cold Biscuits. 
Three pints flour, two tablesj^oonfuls sugar, one teaspoonful salt, 
two heaping teaspoonfuls baking powder, four tablespoonfuls 
lard, two tablespoonfuls caraway seeds, two eggs, one pint milk. 
Sift together flour, sugar, salt and powder, rub in lard cold, add the 
seeds, beaten eggs, and milk; mix into a smooth, firm dough, flour 
the board, turn out the dough, give it a few quick kneadings, and 
roll out to the thickness of a quai'ter of an inch, cut into large bis- 
cuits, prick with a fork, lay on a greased tin. Bake in hot oven 
fifteen minutes; when cold, store for use. 

BuNiis. 

Break an egg into a cup, and fill the cup up with sweet milk; 
mix with it a half cup yeast, half cup butter, one cup sugar, enough 
flour to make a soft dough; flavor with nutmeg; let rise till very 
light, then mold into biscuits with a iew currants; let rise the 
second time and bake, and when nearly done glaze with a little 
molasses and milk. 

Bunks. 

One cup butter, one cup sugar, half cup yeast, half pint milk, 
make stiff with flour, and mold into biscuits; when light, bake. 

Bunks. 

One cup yeast, one egg, one tablespoonful molasses, flour to make 
a batter; let it rise, then add one pint milk, one pint sugar dissolved 
in the milk, half pint butter, two eggs; stir in flour stiff enough to 
make the buns, and let them rise in the pans before baking. 

CiKNAMox Cake. 
Take yeast bread dougji when liglit, knead and roll out three- 
fourths of an inch thick; put thin slices of butter on the top, 
sprinkle with sugar, and then with cinnamon; let rise, and bake. 



BREAKFAST AND TEA CAKES. 21 

Graham Cakes. 
To one quart Graham flour add one teaspoonful of salt, five 
tablespoonf uls molasses, three tablespoonf uls yeast, or a yeast cake 
dissolved in warm water. Stir as thick as pound cake; let stand 
over night; when ready to bake, add a well beaten egg, a table- 
spoonful lard and a teaspoonful of soda. Bake in cups half an hour. 

Rye Drop Cakes. 

One egg, two cups rye flour, two cups flour, half a cup sugar, a 
teaspoonful salt, two teaspoonfuls cream of tai'tar, one teaspoonful 
soda — or three teaspoonfuls baking powder, — a tablespoonf ul melted 
butter, and one of lard, one and a half cups milk; droj) from a spoon 
and bake half an hour. 

Corn Cakes. 

One pint sour milk, two cups Indian meal, one cup floui', one egg, 
two tablespoonfuls molasses, one teaspoonful salt, one teaspoonful 
soda; mix thoroughly and bake twenty-five minutes in shallow 
pans. 

JoHiOsT Cake. 

One quart corn meal, one quart milk, two eggs, two tablespoon- 
fuls shortening, half cup sugar, teaspoonful salt, three teaspoonfuls 
baking powder — or substitute one quart sour milk and a large tea- 
spoonful soda. 

Newport Breakfast Cakes. 

Three eggs, three spoonfuls sugar, one and-a-half pints milk, 
half cup butter, three teaspoonfuls baking powder. Stir stiff with 
flour and bake in loaves, like cakes. 

" Potato Cakes. 
Peal enough good sized potatoes for a meal for the family, grate 
on a coarse grater, and stir in from three to five eggs, salt and mix 
stiff enough to mold into cakes, and fiy inhot lard or drippings. 



22 GRIDDLE CAKES. 

GRIDDLE CAKES. 

Stale Bread Griddle Cakes. 
•Soak one pint bread crumbs in warm water, when soft drain oft 
the water and add one pint sour milk with a teaspoonful soda 
stirred in, half teaspoonful salt, a beaten egg, and thicken with 
flour to make a batter. 

Corn Meal Griddle Cakes. 
One pint corn meal, one of sour milk or buttermilk, one egg, one 
teaspoonful soda, one of salt. Bake on a griddle. 

Rice Griddle Cakes. 
One and one-half pints boiled rice, the same of flour, one-half 
teacupful sour milk, one teacupf ul sweet milk, one teaspoonful soda, 
salt, three eggs, and butter the size of a walnut. 

Flour Griddle Cakes. 
Make a thick batter with one quart of sour milk and flour. Let 
it stand over night and in the morning add two well-beaten eggs, 
salt, and a teaspoonful of soda dissolved in a tablespoonf ul warm 
water. Bake immediately. 

Greex Corn Griddle Cakes. 
Six ears grated corn, two eggs, one pint milk, one pint flour, one 
tablespoonful butter, a little salt. Bake on a griddle. 

Hominy Griddle Cakes. 
To one pint warm boiled hominy add a pint of milk, or milk and 
water, and flour enough to make a thin batter; beat up two or 
three eggs and stir them into the batter with a little salt. Fry as 
other griddle cakes. ' 

Crumb Corn Cakes. 
Soak a quart of bread crumbs in a quart of sour milk over night; 
in the morning rub through a colander and add four well-beaten 
eggs, a heaping teaspoonful soda dissolved in a little warm water. 



GRIDDLE CAKES. 23 

one tablespoonful shortening, and corn meal to mix into a nice 
batter. It is better to beat yolks and whites of eggs separately, 
stirring the whites in lightly jnst before baking. 

Flannel Cakes. 
Three eggs, one quart sweet milk, one quart sifted flour, with 
three teaspoonfuls baking powder, a small spoonful salt; beat the 
yolks and half of the milk, salt and flour together, then the 
remainder of the milk, and last, the whites of the eggs, well beaten; 
a teacup of boiled rice improves them. 

Buckwheat Cakes. 
Take, of equal parts of buttermilk and water, one quart, half cup 
yeast, a little salt; stir into a batter with buckwheat flour, let rise 
over night; in the morning add half teaspoonful soda dissolved 
in a little water. Bake on a hot griddle. 

Graham Griddle Cakes. 
One pint Graham flour, half pint corn meal, half pint flour, one 
heaping teaspoonful sugar, half teaspoonful salt, one egg, one pint 
buttermilk, one teaspoonful soda. 

Squash, Pumpkin and Apple Griddle Cakes. 
Cold stewed squash, pumpkin or apple, rubbed through a colan- 
der, half pint; mix with two well-beaten eggs and half pint milk. 
Sift together half pint Graham flour, half pint corn meal, half tea- 
spoonful salt, heaping teaspoonful baking powder. Mix smooth and 
thoroughly into a batter and bake on a hot griddle. 

Berry Griddle Cakes. 
Take of huckleberries, blackberries, or raspberries a half pint, 
one and one-half pints flour, one teaspoonful salt, one tablespoonful 
brown sugar, two teaspoonfuls baking powder, two eggs, and one 
pint milk. Sift together flour, sugar, salt and powder; add beaten 
eggs, milk and berries; mix into a batter; have the griddle hot 
enough to form a crust as soon as the batter touches it. In order 
to confine the juice of the berries turn quickly in order to form a 



24 GRIDDLE CAKES. 

crust on the other side; turn once more on each side to complete 
the baking. 

Egg Cracknels. 

One quart flour, one-half teaspoonful salt, five tablespoonfuls 
sugar, one teasjioonful baking powder, four tablesj)Oonfuls butter, 
and five eggs. Sift together flour, sugar, salt and powder; rub in 
the butter cold; add the eggs beaten, and mix into a firm, smooth 
dough. Flour the board, turn out the dough, and give it a few 
minutes' rapid kneading; cover with a damp towel fifteen minutes; 
then roll it out to the thickness of one-eighth of an inch. Cut out 
with biscuit cutter. When all are cut out, have a large pot of 
boiling, and a large tin pan of cold water. Drop them a few at a 
time into the boiling water. When they appear at the surface 
and curl at the edges, take them up with a skimmer, and drop them 
in the cold water. When all are thus served, lay them on greased 
baking tins and bake in a fairly hot oven fifteen minutes. 

Oatmeal Crackers. 
One pint very fine oatmeal, one-half pint Graham flour, one-half 
teaspoonful salt, one-half teaspoonful sugar, one-half teaspoonful 
baking powder, one-half pint cream. Sift together the oatmeal, 
Graham, salt, sugar and powder; add the cream and mix into 
a dough, rather too soft to handle. Let it stand half an hour, by 
which time it will have absorbed the extra moisture, and handling 
it will be easy. Flour the board with Graham, roll out to the 
thickness of one-third inch, prick with a fork, lay on greased bak- 
ing tin, and bake in a moderate oven ten minutes. They must be 
watched during baking, as they burn quickly, and when baked 
handled with care; they break easily. 

Graham Crackers. 

Sift together one quart Graham flour, one tablespoonful sugar, 

half teaspoonful salt, half teaspoonful baking powder; mix with 

two tablespoonfuls butter and a good half pint milk, into a smooth 

dough, and knead well for five minutes; roll it to the thickness of 



GRIDDLE CAKES. 25 

one-quarter inch, cut into crackers round or square. Bake in rather 
hot oven ten minutes; when cold store for use. 

Crumpets. 

Mix together thoroughly while dry one quaint sifted flour, two 
heaping teaspoonfuls baking powder, a little salt, then add two 
tablespoonf uls melted butter and sweet milk enough to make a thin 
dough. Bake quickly in muffin rings or patty pans. 

London Crumpets. 

Sift together one and one-half pints flour, one-half teaspoonful 
salt, one teaspoonful sugar, and two teaspoonfuls baking powder; 
add one beaten egg, a scant pint of milk and cream in equal parts, 
a little ground cinnamon or a teaspoonful extract of cinnamon; half 
fill greased muffin rings, place on a hot, well-greased griddle. Bake 
on one side only. Serve hot with cottage cheese. 

Kentucky Corn Dodgers. 

Place your griddle where it will heat, for this is much better 
than a bread pan, there being less danger of scorching at the bot- 
tom. Take an even pint of sifted meal, a heaping tablespoonful of 
lard, a pinch of salt, and a scant half pint of cold water; mix well 
and let it stand while you grease your griddle and sprinkle some 
meal over it. Make the dough into rolls the size and shape of 
goose eggs, arid drop them on the griddle, taking care to flatten as 
little as possible,' for the less bottom crust the better. Place in the 
oven and bake imtil brown on the bottom. Then change to the 
grate, and brown on top, taking from twenty to thirty minutes for 
the whole process. Eaten Avhile hot with plenty of good butter, 
they are better than any other bread. 

The same amount of meal, lard and salt mixed with boiling 
water, till of the consistency of thick batter, will give you delight- 
ful hot cakes, to be cooked like any other batter bread. 



2Q FRITTERS. 

FRITTERS. 

Greex Corn Fritters. 
Grate green corn from the cob, and allow an egg and a half for 
every cupful, with a tablespoonful of milk or cream; beat the eggs 
well; add the coi-n by degrees, beating very hard; salt to taste. 
Put a tablespoonful of melted butter to every pint of corn; stir in 
the milk, and thicken with just enough flour to hold them together 
— say a tablespoonful for every two eggs. You may fry in hot 
lard, as you would fritters, or cook upon a griddle like batter cakes. 
Eaten at dinner or breakfast, these always find a cordial welcome. 

Green Corn Fritters, No. 2. 
Two cups of grated corn, two eggs, one cup of milk, flour for 
thin batter, a pinch of soda, salt, one tablespoonful melted butter. 
Mix and fry as you would griddle cakes. 

Apple Fritters. 
Beat three eggs very lightly, then stir in one teaspoonful of salt, 
one-lialf cup of sugar, one pint of milk, two cups of chopped apple 
and two cups of flour. Flavor with nutmeg. Stir all well together 
and fry in lard as pancakes. Sift sugar over them and send to the 
table. 

Celery Fritters. 

Boil some thick but tender stalks of celery in salted water; when 
done dry them on a cloth, cut them in equal lengths about one and 
' a-half inches; fry them in batter to a golden color, sprinkling fine 
salt well over, and serve. 

Oyster Fritters. 
Drain them thoroughly, chop fine, season with pepper and salt. 
Make a batter of eggs, milk and flour; stir the chopped oysters in 
this and fry in hot butter; or fry them Avhole, enveloped in batter, 
one in each fritter. In this case the batter should be thicker than 
if they were chopped. 



FRITTERS. 27 

Clam Fritters. 
Twelve clams, minced fine; one pint milk; three eggs. Add the 
liquor from the clams to the milk; beat up the eggs and put to 
this, with salt and jiepper, and flour enough for thin batter; lastly, 
'the chopped clams. Fry in hot lard, trying a little first to see if the 
fat and batter are right. A tablespoonful will make a fritter of 
moderate size. Or you can dip the whole clams in batter and 
cook in like manner. Fry quickly, or they are apt to be too greasy. 

Lobster Fritters. 
Put one lobster in two quarts boiling water with half a cup salt; 
boil twenty-five minutes; when cold remove the meat and fat, cut 
into small slices; put one tablespoonful butter, one tablespoonful 
flour, one cup cream, a little celery, salt, thyme, white pepper, and 
a salt-spoon of parsley, into a stew-pan; let boil two minutes; add 
yolks of four eggs, and the lobster; mix and set it back to simmer 
five minutes; pour it out on a well-greased dish and set it away to 
get firm by cooling; cut into slices, dip into common batter and fry 
to a light brown in hot lard. Serve on the fritters a few sprigs of 
parsley, quite dry, fried in the lard fifteen seconds. 

Rice Fritters. 
Boil one cup of rice in one pint of milk until soft; add the yolks of 
tliree eggs, one tablespoonful sugar, two tablespoonfuls butter, two 
tablespoonfuls flour; when cold add the whites of the eggs whipped 
to a stiff froth; drop in spoonfuls in plenty of hot lard and fry to a 
light brown color. Serve with cream, wine or lemon sauce. 

Blackberry Fritters, 

Mix one cup blackberries with one and a-half cups common 
batter and drop by tablespoonfuls into hot lard. 

All berry fi'itters can be made as directed for the above and 
served with spiced sauce made as follows: Set on the fire three- 
fourths pint of Avater, one cup sugar; boil twenty minutes, remove 
from the fii-e and add one teaspoonful each of exti*aet cloves, mace, 
and ginger. 



iS GEMS. 



G E :m s 



Graham Gems. 
One pint milk, one pint Graham flour, salt-spoonful salt; beat 
well} heat the gem pan hot, butter it and drop the dough into the 
sockets with a spoon, tilling each one-half full. 

Graham Gems, No. 2. 
One ]nnt buttermilk, one teaspoonful soda, a little salt, one egg, 
one-half cup sugar, tablespoonful lard; thicken with Graham flour, 
and bake in gem tins. 

Graham Gems, Xo. 3. 
One pint milk, one cup flour, one cup Graham flour, one egg, a 
little salt. Have the irons hot before using. 

Cold "^Vater Gems. 
Take cold water, Graham flour, and a little salt, make rather a 
stiff batter; heat and grease the irons, or tins, and bake twenty 
minutes. 

Mixed Gems. 
One-half pint Graham, half pint corn meal, half pint rye flour, 
half pint buckwheat flour, one teaspoonful salt, two heaping tea- 
spoonfuls baking powder, one pint rich milk; mix into a thin 
batter, then half fill well-greased gem pans. Bake in hot oven 
fifteen minutes. 

CoRX Gems. 
One pint corn meal, one pint flour, one teaspoonful salt, two 
large teaspoonfuls baking powder, one pint milk; mix into a firm 
batter, two-thirds fill well-greased gem pans and bake in a hot oven 

fifteen minutes. 

Oatmeal Gems. 

Soak one cup oatmeal over night in one cup water; in the morn- 
ing add one cup sour milk, one teaspoonful soda, one cup of flour, 
a little salt, bake in gem irons. K on trial they ai-e a little moist or 
sticky, add a little more flour. 



3IUFFINS. 29 



JVrCTFINS. 

To one quart of luilk add two well-beaten eggs, a lump of butter 
half the size of an' egg, a little salt, and flour enough to make a 
stiff batter; stir in half a pint of yeast. Let them stand until they 
are perfectly light and then bake on a griddle in rings made for the 
purpose. These are merely strips of tin three-fourths of an inch 
wide, made into rings two and a half or three inches in diameter, 
and without bottoms, the Ting being simply placed on the griddle 
and the batter being poured in to fill it. 

Muffins, Xo. 2. 

One pint flour, one cup milk, two eggs, two teaspoonfuls baking 
powder, butter the size of an egg; beat the yolks of the eggs with 
the butter, then add the whites well beaten. Sift baking powder 
with the flour, and mix all together into a batter. Bake in mufiin 
rings. 

MuFFiifS, ^o. 3. 

One pint new milk, one egg, one tablespoonful sugar, one table- 
spoonful butter, half teaspoonful salt, one cake yeast (or better, 
half cup home-made yeast) ; mix with flour until a very stiff batter 
is formed; leave in a warm place over night and bake in the morn- 
ing in rings. 

Rice Flour Muffixs. 

One and one-half cups rice flour, two cups wheat flour, one pint 
milk, one egg, three teaspoonfuls baking jjowder, a little salt, a 
small piece of butter. Bake as usual. 

Rice Muffixs. 

One pint sifted flour, two heaping teaspoonfuls baking powder 
and a little salt. Thoroughly mix together; then add one cup cold 
boiled rice, two eggs, one tablespoonfid butter, and enough sweet 
milk to make a thick batter. Bake immediately. 



30 MUSH. 

Graham Muffins. 

Two cups sour milk, one teaspoonful saleratus, two eggs, a little 
salt, butter half the size of an egg, three cups Graham flour. Bake 
in rings. 

Graham MtrrFiNs, No. 2. 

Two cups Graham flour, one cup sweet milk, one-third cup sugar, 
one egg, butter the size of an egg, two teaspoonf uls baking powder. 
Bake in rings twenty or thirty minutes in hot oven. 

CoEX Meal Muffins. 

One and one-half cups of corn meal, the same of flour, two heap- 
ing teaspoonfuls baking powder, one-half cup sugar, one-half tea- 
spoonful salt, one tablespoonful butter, two eggs, and milk enough 
to make a stiff batter. 



MUSH. 

Corn Musit. 

Take boiling water (soft water is preferable), salt to the taste, 
add meal very slowly so as to prevent any lumps being' formed; 
cook thoroughly. 

Oatmeal Mush. 

Put four tablespoonfuls oatmeal into one quart cold water; add 
one teaspoonful salt, let it cook slowly for from one to two hours, 
addin"" hot water when needed; just before serving stir in one 
teaspoonful butter, or soak the meal over night and add boiling 
water and cook in the morning. 

Cracked Wheat Mush, 
To one quart salted water add three-fourths cup cracked or 
rolled wheat, and boil two hours: or it may be soaked over night 
and boil one hour. 



PUFFS. 81 

Cracked Wheat Musti, No. 2. 
Moisten one and one-half cups cracked wheat with cold water, 
add one-half teaspoonfiil salt, place in a muslin bag, leaving half 
the space for the wheat to swell; put into a small colander and 
place in a kettle of water and keep boiling from three to four 
hours. Serve with syrup and butter or cream and sugar. It is 
nice sliced and fried when cold. 

Fried Mush for Breakfast. 
Night before, stir into two quarts of boiling water a little salt 
and one pound of farina, boil for ten minutes, and pour it into 
a shallow dish to cool; next morning cut it into slices, and fry in 
lard light brown. This is far superior to corn meal mush. 

Hominy. 
Take one cup hominy to one quart salted water and soak over 
night and boil three-fourths of an hour. Serve with milk and 
sugar. Slice .and fry when cold. 



PUFFS. 

Puffs. 
Two eggs, two cups of milk, two cups of flour, and a little salt. 
Pour into hot roll pans and bake in a quick oven. Fill the pans 
about half full. 

German Puffs. 
Two cups of sweet milk, two cups of flour, three eggs, and a 
little salt. 

Graham Puffs. 
One egg, one pint sweet milk, one pint Graham flour, and a pinch 
of salt; beat the eggs thoroughly; add the milk, then the flour 
gradually; beat the whole mixture briskly with an egg-beater; pour 
into cast-iron gem pans, well-greased, and hot; bake in very hot 
oven; this mixture is just sufticient for twelve gems. 



32 PUFFS. 

Oatmeal Puffs. 

Sift together one-half pint oatmeal, one-half pint Graham, one- 
half pint flour, one teaspoonful sugar, one-half teaspoonful salt, and 
two teaspoonfuls baking powder; add three beaten eggs and one 
pint milk; mix into a thin batter; half fill well-greased gem pans 
and bake in hot oven ten or fifteen minutes. 

Potato Puffs. 

To each two cupfuls of mashed potatoes take one tablespoonful 
of melted butter and beat to a cream; put with this two eggs 
whipped light, and a cupful of milk, salting to taste; beat all well; 
pour into greased baking dish and bake quickly to a light brown. 
Serve in the dish in which it is cooked. 

Cream Puffs. 

One-half pint boiling water, one cup of butter, two cups of flour. 
Let the water and butter boil, then stir in the flour; let it cool; add 
live eggs well beaten; beat all well; drop in mufhn rings; bake 
thirty minutes. Boil one pint of milk; beat together one cup of 
flour, one cup of sugar, and two eggs; add this to the boiling milk 
and boil three minutes; cut a hole in the top of each cake and fill 
with cream, putting the piece of crust back. 

PUFFETS. 

One quai-t flour, one pint milk, two eggs beaten light, butter size 
of an egg, three tablespoonfuls sugar, three teaspoonfuls baking 
powder; bake quickly. 

Proverbs. 

One cup rich milk, one egg, two cups flour, one teaspoonful 
baking powder, a little salt; beat together thoroughly, fill buttered 
cups half full and bake in a hot oven. 

Pocket Books. 

One quart warm Avater or milk, two eggs, three teaspoonfuls 
sugar, one cup yeast, four tablespoonfuls melted butter, add flour 
to make a sponge, and set to rise; when it is ri;>en work it over and 



ROLLS. 83 

set to rise again; when light put in a piece of soda the size of a 
bean; roll out, spread the surface with butter, cut in squares and 
double over to form a pocket book shape; put in a pan and let stand 
till light, then bake. 



ROLLS. 

How TO MAKE Rolls. 
When mashing potatoes for dinner, put a tablespoonful of it into 
one pint of the . water they were boiled in, and set aside till bed- 
time; then strain it through a colander, add one pint of milk, one 
large spoonful nice lard, one large spoonful white sugar, one tea- 
spoonful salt, one penny-worth of yeast, and flour to make a stiff 
batter. Leave it in a moderately warm place. In the morning add 
flour enough to make a soft dough, working it well. Let it rise 
again, I'oU out half an inch thick, cut into round cakes, fold 
together, drawing a buttered knife through as you fold them. Let 
them rise again for half an hour, or until light; bake in a quick 
oven for fifteen or twenty minutes. In cold weather the milk 
should be luke-warm; in hot weather the milk should be scalded 
and cooled. The potatoes must be pared before boiling, and the 
kettle in which they are boiled must be perfectly clean. 

Rolls No. 2. 
Take a piece of bread dough when molded; roll out half an inch 
thick; spread with butter, and sprinkle with sugar; roll up and 
cut off the size you want; let rise and bake.' 

Parker House Rolls. 
Two quarts flour, one cup yeast, one pint milk, boiled, then 
cooled to milk-warm, one tablespoonful of shortening, one of sugar; 
lay a sponge, leaving out enough flour to mix in Avhen rolling out; 
if for tea, mix in the morning; bake as soon as ready. 

CixxAMox Rolls. 
Take light dough, as for bread; mix in shortening, an egg, and a 



34 ROLLS. 

little sugar; roll out to about one-quarter inch in thickness; spread 
with butter, then sprinkle with sugar and cinnamon; roll up and cut 
as you would a jelly cake; put in pans like biscuit; set to rise. 
When light, put a little lump of butter, and sugar and cinnamon 
on each one, ayd bake. 

AYhite Mountain Rolls. 

Sixteen cups of flour, half cup of sugar, cup of butter, cup of 
yeast, the whites of four eggs beaten to a stifi" froth, and four cups 
of boiling milk; melt the butter and sugar in the milk, have the 
milk blood warm and mix the bread, adding the whites of eggs 
after mixing in part of the flour; knead stiff and let rise in a warm 
place over night. In the morning knead into rolls and let rise till 
light; rub the beaten white of an egg over the tops of rolls, and 
bake thirty minutes. 

ViEisTNA Twist Rolls. 

Break pieces off dough (as prepared for common rolls) the size 
of an egg, and divide each piece into two unequal pieces, the largest 
piece form with the hands into a plain roll tapering at each end; 
lay them, thus formed, on a greased baking tin so as not to touch 
each other; flatten each a little and wash over with milk; divide 
the remaining pieces each into three, roll the pieces out under the 
hands into strips a little longer than the roll already made, and 
braid them; then lay each braid, as soon as formed, on top of the 
plain roll; when all are made, wash over with milk. Bake in a hot 
oven twenty minutes — a very handsome roll for a dinner party. 

Oatmeal Rolls. 

Sift together one-half j^int oatmeal, one-half pint Graham, one 
pint flour, one teaspoonful salt, two teasj^oonfuls baking powder, 
and mix with three-fourths pint milk into a smooth dough; turn 
out and give one or two quick kneadings to complete its quality; 
roll out to the thickness of half an inch, cut out with large round 
cutter, fold through the centre laying one half over on the other, 



ROLLS. 35 

lay them on a greased baking tin so they do not touch, wash over 
with milk and bake in a good hot oven fifteen minutes. 

Italian Rolls. 

Take a piece of bread dough and one-fourth the amount of 
butter, work the butter thoroughly into the dough and roll out to 
about one-half an inch in thickness; cut into strips about six inches 
long; sift over them fine corn meal, place them, separated, on a 
buttered baking tin, and Avhen light bake in a quick oven. 

Graham Breakfast Rolls. 

Take six potatoes, boiled and pressed through a colander, one pint 
warm water, one-half cup sugar, one-half teaspoonful salt, one-half 
cup yeast; mix into a stiff dough with Graham flour, and let rise 
over night; in the morning mold into rolls and bake when light. 

French Rolls. 

Into one pound of flour rub two ounces of butter and the whites 
of three eggs well-beaten; add a tablespoonful of good yeast, a 
little salt, and milk enough to make a stiff dough; cover and set in 
a warm place till light; cut into- rolls, dip the edges into melted 
butter to keep them from sticking together, and bake in a quick 
oven. 

Tremont House Rolls. 

Take two quarts of flour, add one teaspoonful salt; make a hole 
in the middle and put into it one tablespoonful of sugar, butter 
about the size of an egg, one pint of boiled milk, and one teacupful 
of yeast. Do not stir, but put them together at night, and set in 
a cool place until morning. Then mix all together and knead 
fifteen minutes. Set in a cool place again for six hours, and roll 
out about one-half an inch thick and cut with a biscuit cutter; 
moisten one edge with butter, and fold together like rolls; lay in 
the pan so that they will not touch, set for half an hour in a warm 
place to rise, and bake in a quick oven. 



36 RUSKS. 

Rosettes. 
To three eggs, the y<>ll<!^ beaten very light, add one quart of milk, 
a piece of butter the size of an egg cut in little pieces into the milk 
and eggs, three coffee cups of flour, a little salt, three teaspoonfuls 
of baking powder, and lastly the Avhites of the eggs beaten very 
light and stirred quickly into the mixture. Bake in a quick oven. 



RUSKS. 

Sweet Rusks. 
In one large coffee cup of warm milk dissolve one cake of com- 
pressed yeast; then add three eggs and one cup of sugar, and 
beat all together; use only flour enough to roll out, to which 
add two ounces of butter; let it rise. When very light, knead, 
mold into shape, and set in a warm place. When light, bake in a 
hot oven; when done, cover the top with sugar dissolved in milk. 

Sweet Rusks, No. 2. 
One pint of Avarm milk — new is best — one-half cup of butter, one 
cup of sugar, two eggs, one teaspoonful of salt, two tablespoonfuls 
of yeast; make a sponge with the milk, yeast, and enough flour to 
make a thin batter, and let rise over night. In the morning add the 
sugar, butter, eggs, and salt, well-beaten together, with enough 
flour to make a soft dough. Let it rise again, then make into 
round balls, and rise a third time. Bake in a moderate o^jeu. 

Rusks. 
Half pint of sweet milk, one teac'sp of yeasi, two eggs; mix 
with suflScient flour for a stiff batter and raise; then add one cup of 
butter, half cup of sugar, one teaspoonful of soda, and a little nut- 
meg; let rise, and knead out into biscuits; let rise and bake. Just 
before taking out of the oven beat up the white of an egg and i*ub 
over the top, then sprinkle with sugar; put into the oven again for 
a moment, and serve hot. 



EUSKS. 37 

Baking Powder Rusks. 

Thoroughly mix with one quart sifted flour, tAvo neaping tea- 
spoonfuls baking powder, and one teaspoonful salt; then mix the 
beaten yolks of three eggs with a half cup butter and one cup 
sugar; now stir up the flour prepared as above with water, making 
a dough of the proper consistency for bread; then add the eggs, 
butter and sugar, and mix all well together. Form into little cakes 
and rub the tops with sugar and water, and then sprinkle dry sugar 
over them and bake immediately. 

Scones. 

Thoroughly mix one quart sifted flour, two heaping teaspoonfuls 
baking powder; then rub into one-fourth pound butter and enough 
sweet milk to make a (Smooth paste; roll out the paste to one-fourth 
of an inch in thickness and cut it into triangular pieces, each side of 
which is about four inches long; put them into a greased tin and 
bake immediately in a very hot oven; when half done, brush them 
over with sweet milk. 

Scotch Scones. 

Sift together one quart flour, one teaspoonful sugar, one-half 
teaspoonful salt, two heaping teaspoonfuls baking powder; rub in 
a large tablespoonful lard cold; add two beaten eggs and nearly 
one-half pint milk; mix into a smooth dough, knead up quickly and 
roll out to one-third of an inch in thickness, cut out with a knife 
into squares larger than soda crackers, fold each in half to form 
three-cornered pieces, bake on a hot griddle eight or ten minutes; 
brown on each side. 

Sally Lunn". 

One quart of flour, a piece of butter the size of an egg, three 
tablespoonfuls of sugar, two eggs, two teacups of milk, two tea- 
spoonfuls of cream of tartar, one of soda, and a little salt. Scatter 
the cream of tartar, the sugar and the salt into the flour; add 
the eggs, the butter melted, and one cup of milk; dissolve the 



38 SANDWICHES. 

soda in the remaining cup, and stir all together steadily a few 
moments. Bake in two round pans. 

Sally Lunn, No. 2. 

Sift together one quart flour, one teaspoonful salt, two teaspoon- 
fuls baking powder; rub in two-thirds cup butter cold; add four 
beaten eggs, one-half pint milk; mix into a firm batter like cup 
cake, pour into two round cake tins, and bake twenty-five minutes 
in a pretty hot oven. 

Plain Short Cake. 

One quart flour, one saltspoonful salt, two heaping teaspoonfuls 
baking powder; mix thoroughly; then add one-quarter pound 
butter, and one-eighth pound lard, and enough cold water to make 
a thick paste. Roll out about a quarter of an inch thick, and cut 
into squares; prick with a foi-k and bake immediately. 

Scotch Short Cake. 
Sift together one and a half pints flour, four tablespoonfuls sugar, 
one-half teaspoonful salt, a heaping teaspoonful baking powder; 
rub in four tablespoonfuls butter cold, add three beaten eggs, nearly 
one cupful milk, a teaspoonful extract of orange, or lemon; mix 
into a smooth dough without much handling, and roll out to the 
thickness of a quarter inch, and cut into shape of small envelopes; 
wash over with milk, and lay on each three thin slices of citron, 
and a few caraway seeds. Bake in a moderate oven twenty 
minutes. 



SANDWICHES. 

Ham Sandwiches. 
Take well-boiled ham, one-third fat and two-thirds lean, chop it 
until it is as fine as paste, then stir in the yolk of an egg. To one 
teaspoonful mustard, mix one tablespoonful Worcestershire sauce. 
Use this or more in such proportions as you may require. 



SANDWICHES. 39 

Egg Sandwiches. 

Take slices of buttered bread and grate hai-d-boiled eggs on 
each slice with a coarse grater, sprinkle with pepper and salt; then 
lay two slices together. 

This sandwich may be varied by grating a layer of cold smoked 
tono-ue or ham over the egg on one slice arid not on the other. 
These require a light and dexterous hand to keep the egg from 
being crushed. 

Sardine Sandwiches. 

Open a can of sardines, remove the skin and bones, lay bits of the 
fish on well-spread bread and butter; squeeze lemon over it; lay a 
slice of buttered bread on top. 

School Lunch Sandaviches. 

Beat three eggs, three tablespoonfuls of milk, saltspoonful of 
salt, and a dash of pepper; fry it as you would a griddle cake, and 
lay between buttered bread or biscuit, or slice hard-boiled eggs or 
nice stewed codfish left cold, and lay between slices of bread and 
butter. 

Oyster Sandwiches. 

Chop one quart raw oysters very fine, season with pepper, salt, 
a little nutmeg; mix with one-half cupful melted butter, the same 
of rich cream, whites of three eggs beaten, and eight powdered 
crackers. Heat them over steam in an oatmeal boiler or over the 
fire until a smooth paste; set away until very cold; then cut and 
lay between buttered slices of bread. , 

Tongue or Ham Sandwiches. • 

Chop fine the lean of cold boiled tongue or ham, season with 
prepared mustard and black pepper; add melted butter and sweet 
cream until smooth like a paste, then spread between buttered 
slices of bread. 



40 TOAST. 



TOAST, 



Crea5i Toast. 
Take slices of stale bread, one quart of milk, three tablespoonfuls 
butter, whites of three eggs beaten stiff, salt, and three tablespoon- 
fuls flour. Toast the bread to a golden brown, have a dish half 
full of boiling water in which a tablespooiiful of butter has been 
melted; as each slice is toasted dip it in this for a second and lay- 
in the deep heated dish in which it is to be served. Have ready, 
by the time the bread is all toasted, the milk scalding hot, but not 
boiling; thicken this with the flour; let simmer until cooked; put 
in the remaining butter, and when this is melted the beaten whites 
of the eggs; boil up once and pour over the toast, lifting the slices 
that the cream may run between; cover closely; set in the oven a 
few moments before sending to the table. 

Breakfast Toast. 

Mix two tablespoonfuls of sugar, a little salt, and a well-beaten 
egg, in one-half pint of milk. In this mixture dip slices of bread 
and fry them on a buttered griddle until they are light brown on 
each side. 

Cheese and Egg Toast. 

Put a cupful of cheese crumbs into half a pint of rich milk; boil 
until it melts. Have two eggs well beaten. Season the milk with 
salt, pepper and butter to taste; turn in the eggs; stir rapidly for 
a few minutes; remove from the fire and spread it over some hot 
slices of toasted bread. Cut them in halves and quarters and serve 
on, a hot platter. 

Ham Toast. 

Melt in a stew pan a small piece of butter till it is browned a 
little; put in as much finely-minced ham as will cover a round of 
buttered toast, and add gravy enough to make moist. When quite 
hot stir in quickly with a fork one egg. Place the mixture over 
the toast, which cut into pieces of any shape you may fancy. 



WAFFLES. 41 

Spaxish Toast, 

Beat three eggs to a foam; toast a few slices of bakers' bread; 
dip them in the egg, and fry them to a light brown. 

Fried Bread. 
Take dry bread, dip it in hot water quickly, and lay on a hot; 
pancake griddle, which has some lard or butter melted, salt; when 
nicely browned on one side, turn on the other and brown; add 
more butter when needed. Some prefer the bread dipped in egg 
first. 



WAFFLES. 

One quart of sweet milk, warm, four eggs, a piece of butter the 
size of an egg, one teaspoonf ul of salt, teacup of yeast, flour enough 
to make a stiff batter; let it rise three hours. Bake in waffle-irons. 

Waffles, No. 2. 

Four eggs, whites beaten separately; two tablespoonfuls short- 
ening, one quart milk, one teaspoonf ul soda, salt; add the whites 
last; add two teaspoonf uls cream of tartar to flour enough to m.ake 
thin batter. 

Waffles, No. 3. 

One pint sour cream (or part milk), two eggs, one spoonful soda, 
half spoonful salt; then make same as above. 

Waffles, No. 4. 

One pint of buttermilk, flour enough to make a thin batter, one 
tablespoonful of salt, one teaspoonf ul of soda; mix your milk, flour 
and salt, then sift the soda over the batter; break the white of one 
egg in a plate and put the yolk in the batter; beat in well; now 
whip the white of the egg to a stiff froth and stir in thoroughly — 
do not beat it in. Have the Avaffle-iron smoking hot and grease 
with lard or other grease, which should be free from either w^ater 



42 WAFFLES. 

or salt, as both raake the waffles stick. If the milk be veiy sour, 
use more soda to sweeten it. Sour batter will stick to the irons, too. 

Bread Waffles. 
Crusts and pieces can be put in a pitcher and milk poured over 
them; when needed, add more milk, and a little flour, to make the 
right consistency; enough soda to make sweet, salt, and' make waf- 
fles, or pancakes. 

Rice "Waffles. 
One and one-half cups of boiled rice, the same of flour, one cup 
sour milk, a scant teaspoonful soda, a little salt, three eggs, and 
butter the size of a walnut. 

Graham Wafers. 

Put a pinch of salt into one-half pound of Graham flour; wet it 
with one-half pint of sweet cream; mix quickly and thoroughly; 
roll out as thin as possible; cut in strips, prick, and bake in a quick 
oven. 

Sweet Wafers. 

One pint flour, one cup sugar, three eggs, one tablespoonful 
butter; flavor with lemon; mix into a batter with a little milk to 
the consistency of sponge cake, and bake in wafer-irons. 



CHAPTER III. 

CAKE. 

g«j^ Almond Cake. 

fOUR cups sifted flour, three teaspoonfuls baking powder, two 
cups powdered sugar, one cup butter, ten eggs (the yolks and 
whites whipped separately, the yolks strained), one-half 
pound sweet almonds blanched and pounded, one tablespoonful 
orange-flower water, nutmeg. Beat butter and sugar until they are 
like whipped cream, add the strained yolks, rub the baking powder 
into the flour and add alternately with the whites, then the almond 
paste in which the nutmeg and orange-flower water have been 
mixed; beat well and bake as "snowballs" in small, round, rather 
deep pans, with straight sides; when done cover with almond frost- 
ing. Very rich. 

Almond Cake, No. 2. 

One and one-half cups sugar, lialf cup butter, four eggs, half cup 
milk, two cups of flour, two teaspoonfuls baking powder; bake in 
sheets. Icing — whites of thi'ee eggs beaten stiff, three tablespoon- 
fuls white sugar, one cup chopped nut meats; flavor to taste and 
put these between and on top of layers. 

Adelaide Cake. 

One cup butter, one and one-half cups sugar, four egg;^, one pint 
flour, two teaspoonfuls of baking powder, one cup dried stoned 
cherries, one-half cup milk, one teaspoonful vanilla; mix smoothly 
into a firm batter by beating the sugar, butter and eggs together, 
and adding the flour with the baking powder and the other ingredi- 
ents. Bake about fgrty minutes. 



44 CAKE. 

Apple Cake. 

Two eggs, whites and yolks beaten separately, one and one-half 

cups sugar, scant three-fourths cup butter, half cup sweet milk, 

three cups flour, one teaspoonful creain of tartar sifted in the flour, 

one-half teaspoonful soda in the milk. Bake in jelly tins or cut for 

dressing. 

Dressing for Same. 

Three good sized sour apples grated, the juice and grated rind of 
one lemon, one egg beaten, one cup sugar. Cook all together three 
minutes and spread between the layers. 

Angels' Food. 
Take the whites of eleven eggs, one and one-half tumblerfuls of 
granulated sugar, one tumblerful of flour, one teaspoonful of 
vanilla, and one teaspoonful of cream of tartar; sift the flour four 
times, then add the cream of tartar, and sift again; but have the 
right measure before putting in the. cream of tartar. Sift the sugar 
and measure. Beat the eggs to a stiff froth on a large platter; on 
the same platter add the sugar lightly, then the flour very gently, 
then the vanilla; do not stop beating until you put it in the pan to 
bake; bake forty minutes in a very moderate oven, try with a 
straw, and if too soft, let it remain a fev/ minutes longer. Turn 
' the pan upside down to cool, and when cold, take out by loosening 
around the sides with a knife. Use a pan that has never been 
greased, and thei'e must be on the edge three projections of tin an 
inch or two deep, so that there will be a space between the pan 
and the table when it is turned upside down. The tumbler for 
measuring must hold two and one-quarter gills. 

Andalusia Sponge Cake. 
Three eggs, well beaten, one cup white sugar, one cup flour, and 
one teaspoonful baking powder;, flavor to suit the taste. Beat 
quickly and bake at once. 

Black FrUit Cake. 
Two pounds raisins, one pound currants, one-half pound citron, 



CAKE. 



45 



four cuj^s sugar, two cups butter, one cup molasses, eight eggs, two 
teaspoonfuls soda, one wine glass brandy, spice to taste. Half of 
this receipt makes two small loaves. 

Bride Cake. 
The whites of sixteen eggs beaten to a stiff froth, one j^ound of 
sugar, one pound of flour, one-half pound of butter. Flavor with 
alrnond. Mix the butter and sugar to a cream, then add the eggs, 
then the flour. 

Bride Cake, No. 2, 

One afid one-half pounds butter, one and thi-ee-fourths pounds 
sugar (half New Orleans sugar), two pounds eggs well-beaten, four 
pounds raisins seeded and chopped, English currants, thoroughly 
cleaned, five pounds, citron shaved fine two pounds, sifted flour 
two pounds, two nutmegs, and an equal quantity of mace, one gill 

of alcohol, in Avhich are put fif- 
teen drops of oil of lemon. Cut 
the butter in pieces and put it 
where it will soften; stir it to 
a cream, then add the sugar 
and work till white ; next beat 
tlie yolks of the eggs, and add 
tbem to the sugar and butter; 
have the whites beaten to a 
still frotli and add them to 
the mixture, then the spices 
^^^^^^ and iloui-, and last of all the 
fruit except the citron, which 
is to be put in in about three layers, one an inch from the bottom, 
one an inch from the top, and one between; smooth the top of 
the cake by putting on a spooonful of water. Bake three or four 

hours. • 

Bread Cake. 

Four cups light dough, two cups sugar, one cup butter, three 

eggs, one cup raisins, a little nutmeg, one-half teaspoonful cloves, 




46 CAKE. 

the same of cinnamon, one-lialf teaspoonful soda, dissolved in hot 
water. Let it rise a short time before baking, then put in the 
raisins and bake in a very slow oven. 

Black Cake. 
Two cups brown sugar, one cup butter, one cup molasses, one 
cup sour milk, in which dissolve one teaspoonful soda, the yolks of 
eight eggs, four cups of browned flour, and s^^ice to your taste. 

Bridgeport Cake. 
One cup butter, two cups brown sugar, one cup sour mijk, three 
and one-half cups flour, four eggs, one teaspoonful saleratus, one 
cup raisins, spice and one glass brandy. 

Butternut Cake. 
One and one-half cups sugar, one-half cup butter, two cups flour, 
three-fourths cup sweet milk, one cup meats of nuts, whites of four 
eggs, and two teaspoonfuls baking powder. 

BosTox Cream Cake. 
One-half pint water, one-fourth pound butter, six ounces flour, 
five eggs. Boil the butter and water together, adding the flour 
while they are boiling; when thoroughly stirred take it from the 
fire; when it is cold add the eggs, one at a time, beating the 
mixture until it is entirely free from lumps. Wet the baking pan 
with a little soda water, drop the mixture onto the pan by spoon- 
fuls. Bake twenty minutes in a hot oven; avoid opening the oven 
door while baking. When tlie cakes are cool, open them on one 
side and fill with the following mixture: One cup sugar, one-half 
cup flour, two eggs, and one pint milk. Beat the eggs, sugar, and 
flour together and stir them into the milk while it is boiling, stirring 
constantly until it thickens; when cold, flavor to suit the taste. 

CocoANUT Cake., 
Two beaten eggs, one cup sugar, rolled fine, one-third cup butter, 
one-half cup milk, two cups flour, sifted witli two teaspoonfuls 
baking powder. Bake in layers and put together with frosting 



CAKE. 47 

and a layer of desiccated cocoanut which has been previously 
soaked in milk; frost the toj) of the cake and sprinkle thickly with, 
the cocoanut. 

Cocoanut Cake, No. 2. 

One cup butter, three cups sugar, whites of six eggs, four and 
one-half cups sifted flour, two and one-half teaspoonfuls baking 
powder,^ne grated cocoanut, and one cup milk. Rub the butter 
and sugar to a cream, add the yolks of the eggs, then the milk; mix 
the baking powder with the flour by sifting. After all are mixed 
together put in the cocoanut, mixing thoroughly, and bake imme- 
diately. This cake will keep for some time, retaining its freshness. 

Chocolate Cake. 
One-half cup butter, two cups sugar, four eggs, one cup sweet 
milk, two teaspoonfuls cream of tartar, one teaspoonful soda, one 
teaspoonful vanilla. Bake in layers. 

Paste for Same. — One-half cake chocolate warmed in the oven 
ten minutes, one heaping teaspoonful white sugar, one teaspoon- 
ful cinnamon, one-half teaspoonful ground cloves, a pinch of ginger, 
and two teaspoonfuls vanilla. Pour a little water on the sugar, put 
it on the chocolate, heat on the stove and put in the spice when 
boiled. 

CoR?r Starch Cake. 

Take whites of three eggs, one cup white sugar, one-third cup 
butter, one-half cup milk, one cup flour, one cup corn starch, one 
teaspoonful soda and two of cream of tartar; flavor with lemon or 
vanilla. 

Corn Starch Cake, ISTo. 2. 

Whites of six eggs, beaten to a stiff fi-oth, one cup butter, two 
cups sugar, one cup sweet milk, one cup corn starch, two cups 
flour, two teaspoonfuls cream of tartar, one teaspoonful soda; flavor 
to suit the taste. 



48 CAKE. 

Coffee Cake. 
Take two eggs, well beaten, one-half cup butter, one-half cup 
sugar, one cup molasses, one cup strong cold coffee, one teaspoonf ul 
cinnamon, one teaspoonful cloves, one teaspoonful allspice, one 
teaspoonf ul soda stirred into the molasses, one cuj) of raisins, flour 
to make of the consistency of pound cake. 

Chocolate Eclairs. 

Make a batter as for '' Boston Cream Cake," form it with a spoon 
on the baking pan into long narrow cakes, leaving a space between; 
when baked and cold make an opening in the side and put in the 
cream, which must also be cold. Make the cream as follows: 
Break, dissolve, and mix smoothly one ounce of chocolate with three 
tablespoonfuls Avarm water in a bowl; set over a boiling tea-kettle, 
add gradually a cup of milk and leave it to scald; beat one egg and 
add to it one-half cup of sugar, and two tablespoonfuls corn starch; 
mix well and stir into the scalded milk, then 23ut the whole into the 
bowl over the boiling water, and stir till it is much thicker than 
boiled custard; add a very little salt and half a teaspoonful of 
vanilla; after filling the cakes with the custard, frost with hot 
icmg Avith two ounces of chocolate dissolved in it. Frost the top 
only. 

Charlotte Cachee. 

One thick loaf of sponge or plain cup cake, two kinds of fruit- 
jelly, tart and sweet, whites of five eggs, one heaping cup of pow- 
dered sugar, juice of one lemon. Cut the cake into horizontal slices 
of uniform width; spread each Avith jelly — first the tart, then the 
SAveet — and fit into their former places; ice thickly Avith a frosting 
made of the whites, sugar, and lemon-juice; set in a sunny windoAV 
or sloAV oven, to harden. The former is the better plan. 

Cider Cake. 
One cup of sugar, half cup of butter, one egg, well-beaten, one 
large cup of cider, one teaspoonful of soda, flour suflScient to make 



CAKE. 49 

it as thick as j^ound cake. One cup of raisins can be added if 
desired. 

Cake Without Eggs. 

One cup butter, three cups sugar, one pint sour milk or cream, 
three cups flour, one pound raisins, one teaspoonful saleratus; spice 
to taste. 

Cream Puffs. 

Melt one-half cup of butter in a cup of hot water, and while 
boiling beat in one cup of flour. Take it from the fire and when 
cool stir in three eggs, one at a time, without beating them. Drop 
the mixture on tins in small spoonfuls and bake in a moderate oven. 

Custard for the Filling. — One and one-half cups of milk, two 
eggs, four tablespoonfuls of flour, sugar to the taste, and flavor 
with vanilla. Beat up the eggs and sugar and stir in the milk with 
the flavoring, and when it comes to a boil stir in the flour, previ- 
ously mixed smooth in a little milk. Cool and, fill the puffs by- 
opening them a very little. 

Citron Cake. 

One cup of butter, two of sugar, three of flour, four eggs, one 
cup of milk, one teaspoonful of soda, two of cream of tartar, and a 
pinch of salt Make the cake as above, put in the pan, cut the 
citron thin and put in the cake endways; push down until the 
batter covers the citron, and this will prevent the citron from failing 
tg the bottom of the pan. 

Cream Cake, 

Three eggs, one cup of sugar, one cup of flour, one teaspoonful 
of baking powder, one-half cup of sweet cream. Bake like jelly 
cake. Put one cup of pulverized white sugar into one-half cup of 
very thick sweet cream, and spread between the cakes; flavor both 
the cake and cream to suit taste. This is delicious. 

Chocolate Cake, !N"o. 2. 
One cup white sugar, one-half cup sweet milk, one-half cup 
melted butter, whites of four eggs beaten stiff, one and one-half 

4 



60 



CAKE. 



cups flour, with three teaspoonfuls of baking powder sifted in. 
Bake on three tins. Take whites of two eggs and make a frosting 
as for any other cake; add one teaspoonful vanilla and two-thirds 
cake of German sweet chocolate grated. Spread between layers 
but not on the top one. Take white of one egg to ice the top and 
sides. Do not frost the cake until cool. The same cake recipe may 
be used for cocoanut. 

Christmas Cake. 
Take five pounds of flour, mix with it a dessert-spoonful of salt, 
rub in three-quarters of a pound of butter and one pound of lard. 

Put in half a pint of good 
fresh brewers' yeast, and 
knead as for common bread. 
If there is any difficulty 
about the yeast, baking pow- 
der may be used, allowing 
a heaped teaspoonful of ordi- 
nary baking powder for every 
pound of material. If yeast 
is used, let the dough rise 
before adding the other in- 
Christmas Cake. gredients. Mix in three 

pounds of currants, one and one-half pounds of moist sugar, a 
whole nutmeg, a quarter of a pound of candied lemon peel finely 
minced, a tablespoonful of brandy, and four eggs, well-beaten. 
Butter the mold and bake in a moderate oven for about two 
hours. 

CiNisrAMpN" Cake. 

Three-fourths of a cup of butter, a cup of white sugar, one and 
one-half cups flour, four eggs (yolks and whites beaten separately), 
a tablespoonful of sweet milk, one and one-half teaspoonfuls baking 
powder, lemon, and a little salt. Rub the baking powder into the 
flour. 




CAKE. 61 

Cinnamon Cake. 
One cup sour cream, one cup sugar, one-half cup melted butter, 
one egg, one-half teaspoonful soda. Mix as for cookies, roll out, 
and spread ground cinnamon over the top; then roll up as a roll 
jelly cake and slice off with a sharp knife and bake. Any good 
cookie recipe will do. 

Cup Caive. 

Rub to a cream one cup of butter and two cups of sugar, add 
four beaten eggs, and three cups of flour, into which one and one- 
half tcaspoonfuls of baking powder have been sifted, season with 
extract of almonds; mix into a smooth batter and bake in well- 
greased cups or muffin pans. 

CocoANUT Pound Cake. 

Beat half a pound of butter to a cream; add gradually one pound 
of powdered sugar, four well-beaten eggs, one pound of flour sifted 
with two tablespoonfuls baking powder, a pinch of salt, a teaspoon- 
ful of grated lemon peel, one-fourth pound of prepared cocoanut, 
and a cup of milk; mi.Y thoroughly, butter the tins, and line them 
with buttered paper; pour the mixture in to the depth of one and 
one-half inches, and bake in a good oven; Avhen baked spread icing 
over them. Return the cake to the oven a moment to dry the icing. 

Clove Cake. 

One pound of brown sugar, one pound of flour, one pound of 
raisins, one-half pound of butter, one cup of milk, two large tea- 
spoonfuls of baking powder stirred well into the flour, one table- 
spoonful of cloves, one tablespoonful cinnamon, one tablespoonful 
of nutmeg, four eggs; chop the raisins. For less quantity divide 
proportionately. 

Delicate Cake. 

One and one-half cups of granulated sugar, one cup of butter, 
two-thirds cup of milk, whites of six eggs beaten to a stiff froth, 
•three even cups of flour, three tcaspoonfuls of baking powder put 



52 CAKE. 

in the flour and mixed; stir butter and sugar well together, to them 
add the milk, then put in the flour, and last add the beaten eggs; 
flavor with lemon. Stir the whole mixture well. 

Delicious Cake. 
Two cups of white sugar, one cup of butter, one cup milk, three 
eggs, one teaspoonful soda, two teasj^oonfuls cream of tartar, three 
cups of sifted flour. Stir butter and sugar together, then add the 
beaten yolks of the eggs, then the beaten whites; dissolve the soda 
in the milk, rub the cream of tartar into the flour and add ; flavor 
with extract of bitter almond. 

Dkop Cake. 
One pound of sugar, three-fourths of a pound of butter, one and 
one-fourth pounds flour, five eggs. To be dropped by the table- 
spoonful on buttered i^ans and baked. 

Dough Cake. 
Two cups light dough, two cups sugar, one cup butter, half cup 
milk, two eggs, one and a half cups flour, one teaspoonful soda, one 
cup raisins; flavor with nutmeg and cinnamon. 

Dover Cake. 

Rub to a cream one cup of butter and two cups of sugar, add six 
eggs, two at a time, beating five minutes between each addition, 
one cup of milk, one and one-half jiints of flour, sifted with two 
teaspoonfuls baking powder; season with one teaspoonful each of 
extract of cinnamon and orange; bake in rather hot oven forty 
minutes. 

Dundee Cake. 

Wliip to a cream one and one-half cups of butter and the same 
amount of sugar; add eiglit eggs, two at a time, beating five minutes 
between each addition, one-half cu|) of cream or milk, one and one- 
half pints of flour, sifted with two teaspoonfuls baking powder, 
one-half of a lemon peel cut in thin slices, one cup of washed, 
picked, and dried currants, one and one-half cups sultana raisins, 



CAKE. 53 

one teaspoonful each of extract nutmeg, cloves, and vanilla; mix 
into a firm batter, pour into a shallow, square cake pan; chop one 
cup of almonds coarsely and sprinkle over the top; then bake one 
hour in a moderate oven. 

Dried Apple Cake. 

Two cups of dried apples, chopped fine and soaked in water over 
night, then cook in one cup of molasses until soft; add one cup 
each of butter, sugar, and sour milk, two teaspoonf uls of soda, one 
teaspoonful each of cinnamon, cloves and lemon extract, one nut- 
meg. A cup of raisins may be added. Bake in a greased cake 
dish in a moderate oven. 

Election Cake. 

Beat one and one-half cups of butter and two cups of sugar to a 
white, light cream; add three eggs, beating a little longer, one and 
one-half pints of flour sifted with two teaspoonfuls baking powder, 
two cups of raisins, stoned, one cup of currants well cleaned, one- 
half cup chopped citron, one-half of a lemon peel, chopped, one-half 
cup of almonds, blanched and cut into shreds, one teaspoonful each 
of extract of vanilla and of bitter almonds, one cup of milk; mix 
into a consistent batter, put into a paper-lined tin and bake in a 
moderate, steady oven one and one-half hours. 

Everyday Fruit Cake, 
One cup of butter, two cups of sugar, two cups of sour milk, two 
cups of raisins, five cups of flour, one teaspoonful saleratus, salt, 
cinnamon, cloves, citron and wine to Suit the taste. 

Egoless. Cake. 
One and one-half cups of sugar, one cup of sour milk, three level 
cups of flour, one-half cup of butter, one teaspoonful of soda, one- 
half teaspoonful of cinnamon, one-half teaspoonful of grated nut- 
meg, and one cup of chopped raisins. 

English Christmas Cake. 
Sift five pounds of flour; mix with it one tablespoonful of salt. 



64 CAKE. 

one and one-half pounds of butter and half a pint of fresh brewer's 
yeast, or five teaspoonfuls of baking powder; if yeast is itsed, allow 
dough to rise before adding other ingredients; mix in three pounds 
of washed currants, one and one-half pounds of " A " sugar, one 
nutmeg grated, one-fourth pound of chopped candied lemon peel, 
one wine glass of brandy, and four well-beaten eggs; butter the 
tins and line them with buttered paper; bake in a moderate oven 
for two hours. The quantity of brandy recommended will serve to 
keep these cakes fresh for an indefinite time. 

Fruit Cake from Dough. 

Two cups of sugar, one cup of butter, one pint of dough, two 
eggs, one teaspoonful of soda, as much fruit as you wish, spices to 
suit the taste; use flour enough to make as stiff as common fruit 
cake; set in a warm place to raise. When light bake in a moderate 
oven. 

Fruit Cake. 

One pound of sugar, one pound of butter, one pound of flour, 
eight eggs, two pounds of raisins, one pound of currants, one-fourth 
pound of citron, one tablespoonful of molasses, one cup of sour 
milk, one teaspoonful of soda, and spices of all kinds. Bake two 
hours in a moderate oven. 

Fruit Cake, No. 2. 
One cup of butter, two cups of sugar, three and a half cups of 
flour, one cup of molasses, one cup of cream, four eggs, one pound 
of raisins, citrons and currants according to taste, one teaspoonful 
of saleratus, spice to taste. Warranted to keep a year. 

Fruit Jelly Cake. 
Two cups of sugar, two-thirds cup of butter, same of sweet milk, 
four eggs, three cups of flour, three teaspoonfuls of baking powder; 
stir together, then divide into three equal parts. Into one part stir 
one tablespoonful of molasses, one cup of chopped raisins, one tea- 
spoonful each of cloves, cinnamon and nutmeg. Bake, and put 
together with jelly or frosting. 



CAKE. 66 

Favorite Lemon Jelly Cake. 

Take two cups of sugar, one-half cup of butter, one cup of milk, 
three eggs, two teaspoonfuls of cream of tartar, one teaspoonful of 
soda, three cups of flour; mix and bake in fine, thin layers. For 
the jelly grate the rind of three small or two large lemons and add 
the juice of the same with one cup of sugar, one egg, one cup of 
water, one teaspoonful of butter, one tablespoonful of flour; mix 
with a little water and boil till it thickens, then place between the 
layers of the cake. Make before needed for use. 

Fig Cake. 

Three cups of sugar, one cup each of butter and sweet milk, four 
cups of flour, two teaspoonfuls of baking powder, twelve beaten 
eggs; bake in layers. Take one pound of figs, boil till smooth 
and put between each layer with or without frosting. Frost 
the top. 

Fig Cake, No. 2. 

A large cup of butter, two and one-half cups of sugar, one cup of 
sweet milk, three pints of sifted flour, with three teaspoonfuls of 
baking powder, the whites of sixteen eggs, one and one-fourth 
pounds of figs cut into strips like citron and well floured. 

French Loaf Cake. 
Two cups of sugar, half cup of butter, one-half cup of sweet milk, 
teaspoonful of soda, two of cream of tartar, three eggs, three cups of 
flour; flavor with lemon. 

Feather Cake. 
Beat to a cream one-half cup of butter, add to it two cups of 
sugar and beat well together; one cup of milk with one teaspoonful 
of soda dissolved in it; beat well together; then add one cup of sifted 
flour with two teaspoonfuls of cream of tartar previously rubbed 
into it; add next the well-beaten yolk of three eggs, beat the whites 
separately until stiff, add them and then two more cups of flour; 



56 CAKE. 

beat well between each successive addition; butter two middle-sized 
tins, put in the cake and bake for twenty minutes or half an hour 
in a moderate oven. 

Feather Cake, No. 2. 
One cup of white sugar, one teaspoonful of melted butter, one 
egg, two-thirds cup of milk, two even cups of sifted flour, two even 
teaspoonfuls of cream of tartar, one of soda; flavor with lemon; sift 
cream of tartar and soda into the flour. You will be surprised when 
you come to make this cake, it is so delicious. 

Gold Cake. 
The yolks of eight eggs, two cups of sugar, one cup of butter, 
one-half cup of sweet milk, three cups of flour, two teaspoonfuls of 
baking powder; flavor with orange extract. 

Gentleman's Favorite. 

Seven eggs, whites and yolks beaten separately, two cups of 
sugar and one-half cup of butter worked to a cream, one table- 
spoonful of water, two teaspoons, level full, of baking powder, two 
cups of flour, one-half teaspoonful of salt; bake in jelly-cake tins. 

Jelly for Same. — One egg, one cup of sugar, three grated apples 
without the peelings, one lemon; stir till it thickens. Cool before 

using. 

Ginger Drop Cake. 
Two cups of sugar, one cup of New Orleans molasses, one cup of 
buttei', six cups of flour, one cup of hot water, two teaspoonfuls of 
soda, one teaspoonful of ginger, and one of cinnamon. Drop in 
hot tins and bake in a hot oven. 

Gingerbread Loaf. 
One cup of butter, one of molasses, one of sugar, half of cold 
water, one tablespoonful of ginger, one tablespoonful of cinnamon, 
one of soda dissolved in boiling water; melt the butter, slightly 
warm the molasses, spice and sugar, and heat together ten minutes; 
then put in the water, soda and flour; stir very hard and bake in 
three loaves. Brush them over with syrup while hot, and eat fresh. 



CAKE. 57 

Ginger-Bread, 
One pint of molasses, one glass of sour milk or cream, one table- 
spoonful of soda, one-half pint of melted lard; put the soda into 
the milk and molasses and beat to a foam. Make the dough very 
soft. 

Soft Ginger-Bread. 

One cup of sugar, one cup of butter, one cup of sour cream, one 
cup of New Orleans molasses, four cups of sifted flour, one table- 
spoonful of ginger, one teaspoonful of soda, the grated rind of one 
lemon, three eggs, well beaten ; stir the butter and sugar together, 
then add eggs, milk and flour. 

Soft Ginger-Bread, No. 2. 

One coffeecup each of sugar, molasses, and butter, four cups of 
flour, one cup of sour milk, two large teaspoonfuls of ginger, two 
teaspoonfvils of cinnamon, one-half teaspoonful of cloves, one tea- 
spoonful of saleratus dissolved in the sour milk; stoned raisins may- 
be added. Bake in sponge-cake tins. 

Ginger Cup Cake. 
Mix two cups of powdered sugar with two cups of warmed 
butter; add three well-beaten eggs, a cup of molasses, four heaping 
cups of flour, a tablespoonful of fresh-ground ginger, one teaspoon- 
ful of dissolved salei-atus; mix thoroughly and pour into buttered 
molds or patty pans; bake in a moderate oven. 

Groom's Cake. 
Ten eggs beaten separately, one pound each of butter, white 
sugar, and flour, two pounds of almonds blanched and chopped fine, 
one pound of seeded raisins, one-half pound of citron shaved fine; 
beat the butter to a ci-eam, add the sugar gradually, then the well- 
beaten yolks; stir all till very light, then add the chopped almonds; 
beat the whites stiff and add gently with the flour; take a little 
more flour and sprinkle over the raisins and citron, then put in the 
cake pan, first a layer of cake batter, then a layer of raisins and 



58 CAKE. 

citron, then cake, and so on until all is used, finishing off with a 
layer of cake. Bake in a moderate oven two hours. 

Graham Cup Cake. 
Rub to a light cream two-thirds cup of butter and one cup of 
sugar; add two beaten eggs, one-half cup of cream, two cups of 
Graham flour, one heaping teaspoonful of baking powder, one tea- 
spoonful of extract of lemon; mix into a moderately thin batter; 
bake in well-greased cups, or muflin pans, in a moderate oven. 

Hickory-nut Cake. 
Two cups of white sugar, one-half cup of butter, three cups of 
flour, three-fourths cup of sweet milk, one-half teaspoonful of soda 
dissolved in the milk, one teaspoonful of cream of tartar put into 
the flour, the whites of eight eggs. Just before baking add two 
cups of hickory-nut meats. 

Hickory-nut Drop Cake. 
Whites of six eggs beaten to a stiff froth; add one pound of 
rolled sugar, one cup of hickory-nut meats, one teaspoonful of 
baking powder, with flour to stiffen so as to drop. Drop by spoon- 
fuls on a buttered tin and bake in a quick oven. 

Huckleberry Cake. 
Rub together one cup of butter and two cups of sugar; add four 
beaten eggs, one and one-half pints of flour sifted with two tea- 
spoonfuls baking powder, one cup of milk, two cups of huckle- 
berries, one teaspoonful each of extract of cinnamon, cloves and 
allspice; put in a paper-lined bake tin and bake in a quick oven 
fifty minutes. 

Honey Cake. 

Mix together one cup of honey and one cup of sugar; add one- 
half cup of melted butter, two beaten eggs, one pint flour sifted 
with two teaspoonfuls of baking powder, one teaspoonful of cara- 
way seeds. Mix into a smooth batter and bake in a hot oven 
thirty minutes. 



CAKE, 69 

Imperial Cake. 
One pound each of sugar and flour, three-fourths pound of butter, 
one pound of almonds blanched and cut fine, one-half pound of 
citron, one-half pound of raisins, the rind and juice of one lemon, 
one nutmeg and ten eggs. 

Ice-Cream Cake. 
To the whites of five eggs, lightly beaten, add two cups of sugar, 
one cup of butter, one cup of milk, three cups of flour, and three 
teaspoonfuls of baking powder; bake in thin layers and use as a 
cream, to spread between, two and a half cups of sugar and one- 
half cup of water boiled together; beat the Avhites of three eggs to 
a stiff froth, and when the syrup will hair, pour it into the whites 
and stir as fast as possible; flavor with lemon or vanilla and spread 
between the layers and over the top. 

Jelly Cake. 

Beat to a cream three-fourths cup of butter and two cups of 
sugar; add five eggs, two at a time, beating five minutes between 
each addition, one and one-fourth pints of flour sifted with one and 
one-half teaspoonfuls of baking powder, one cup of milk; mix to a 
smooth batter and bake in jelly-cake tins; spread with currant or 
other fruit jelly. 

Jelly Rolls. 

One cup of sugar, one cup of flour, three eggs, one teaspoonful 
baking powder. Stir well and spread thin on a long baking tin or 
dripping pan. Bake quickly, turn out on a cloth, spread with jelly 
and roll uj). 

Kaffee Kuchen". 

One pound light raised dough, one ounce of sugar and three of 
butter, one egg; cream the butter and beat well with the sugar and 
the egg; add the dough and mix thoroughly with the hand; put it 
in a warm place to rise; when light, pour it in a small dripping pan 
(when baked it should not be more than two-thirds of an inch thick) 



60 



CAKE 



and let it stand ten or fifteen minutes; put in the oven and while 
baking prepare this icing: 

Blanch two almonds and shred them; add to the beaten whites 
of two eggs one cup of sugar; stir in the almonds, and when the 
cake is baked cover it with the icing and dry in the oven. The 
almonds may be browned a little if liked. 

Knickerbocker Cake. 

Beat one-half pound of fresh butter to a cream; add one-half 
pound of powdered sugar, three-fourths pound of sifted flour, a 
tablespoonful of orange-flour water, and one of brandy, and four 
ounces of washed currants; add five well-beaten eggs, and beat the 
mixture until very light. Line some shallow cake tins with but- 
tered paper, pour in the mixture until they are one-half full, and 
bake in a quick oven. 

Lemon Cake. 

Five eggs beaten with three cups of sugar and one of butter, one 
cup of milk, five cups of sifted flour, one lemon rind grated, half a 
teaspoonful soda dissolved well in the milk, and one teaspbonful of 
cream of tartar in the flour; after all is well beaten, add the juice 
of the lemon and bake immediately. 

Lemon Cake, No. 2. 
To four well-beaten eggs, add two cups sugar, two tablespoonf uls 
butter, one-half cup of milk, two cups of flour sifted with two tea- 
spoonfuls of baking powder; bake in jelly tins and put together 
with a frosting made of the white of one egg, the juice and grated 
rind of one lemon, and sugar enough to stiffen. 

Lemon Jelly Cake. 

Beat together two eggs, one cup of sugar, one-third cup of butter, 
one-half cup milk, two cups flour sifted, with a heaping teaspoonful 
baking powder; bake in jelly-cake tins. 

Jelli/ for Same. — Two-tliirds cup of water, one cup sugar, the 
juice and grated rind of one lemon; mix together and let boil; then 



CAKE. 61 

stir in two well-beaten eggs. When cold, spread between the 
layers of cake; also upon the top, or the top may be frosted. 

Lady Cake. 
Rub to a cream two-thirds cup of butter and three cups of sugar; 
add one cup of milk, one pint flour, one-half teaspoonful of baking 
powder, one teaspoonful extract of bitter almond; then add the 
whites of eight eggs whipped to a froth; when thoroughly mixed, 
put into a paper-lined tin and bake in a steady oven forty minutes. 
When cool, ice the bottom and sides with white icing. 

Lunch Cake. 

Beat thoroughly two cups of butter and two cups of sugar; add 
two cups of egg well beaten, one and one-half pints of flour sifted 
with a heaping teaspoonful baking powder, one gill of wme, one 
teaspoonful each of extract of rose, cinnamon and nutmeg; mix into 
a smooth batter and bake in a moderate oven one hour; when cold, 
ice with white icing. 

Light Cake. 

Beat six eggs, yolks and whites separately; beat with the yolks 
one pound white sugar, and three-fourths pound of butter; add one 
pound of flour sifted with a teaspoonful of cream of tartar, and one 
cup sweet milk with one-half teaspoonful of soda, one pound raisins, 
a little citron, and lemon peel, then the whites of the eggs beaten 
to a froth. Bake in a paper-lined cake tin one hour in a moderate 
oven. 

Loaf Cake. 

Six cups of bread dough, five eggs, three cups of sugai-, one cup 
of butter, two teaspoonfuls of ground cloves and cinnamon mixed, 
and half of a nutmeg, one and one-half pounds of raisins. Bake in 
a moderate oven. 

Marbled Cake. 

Light part: One and one-half cups of white sugar, one-half cup 
of butter, one-half cup of sweet milk, one half teaspoonful of soda, 



62 CAKE. 

one teaspoonful cream of tartar sifted with two and one-half cups 
flour, whites of four eggs; beat and mix thoroughly. 

Dark part: One cup of brown sugar, one-half cup of butter, one- 
half cup of sour milk, one-half teaspoonful of soda, two and one- 
half cups of flour, yolks of four eggs, one-half teaspoonful each of 
cloves, allspice, cinnamon, and nutmeg. 

With a spoon drop the two batters alternately into a papered 

cake-tin. 

Mountain Cake. 

One cup of sugar, one-half cup of butter, one-half cup of sweet 
milk, one-half cup of corn starch, one cujj of flour, whites of six 
eggs, a little vanilla, two teaspoonfuls baking powder. Bake in 
layers. 

Frosting for Above. — Whites of five eggs, twenty tablespoon- 
fuls sifted sugar, beaten very light, and a little vanilla. Spread 
between layers and on the outside of the cake. 

Madeira Cake. 
Beat together two and one-half cups of butter and two cups of 
sugar; add seven well-beaten eggs, one and one-half pints flour 
sifted with one heaping teaspoonful baking powder; mix with one 
gill of Madeira wine into a smooth batter and bake in a paper-lined 
cake-tin in a steady oven about one hour, and ice with transparent 

icing. 

Molasses Cake. 

Beat together one cup of butter and one cup of brown sugar; add 

one-half cup of molasses, one cup of milk, one ^^^^ one and one-half 

pints of flour sifted with one and one-half teaspoonfuls of baking 

powder; mix into a consistent batter and bake about forty minutes. 

Molasses Cake, 
Beat together one-half cup of sugar, a piece of butter the size of 
an Q:gg, and one Q^^^\ add one-half cup of molasses, one-half cup of 
sour milk, one-half teaspoonful of soda, two cups of flour, sifted, 
spices to suit the taste, and a cup of chopped raisins. Bake in a 
moderate oven. 



^ CAKE. 63 

t 

Marbled Chocolate Cake. 
One cup of butter, two cups of sugar, three cups of flour, four 
well-beaten eggs, one cup of milk, two teaspoonfuls of baking 
powder; take out one cup of this batter and mix with four table- < 
spoonfuls of chocolate dissolved with a little cream; cover the 
bottom of the pan with the white batter and drop upon it in places 
a spoonful of the chocolate, forming rings, then another layer of 
the batter, and so on until all is used. Bake in a moderate oven. 

MoRETON Farm Cake. 
Two pounds of butter, softened throughout, but not melted; add 
two pounds of nice, white, soft sugar, and mix together until 
creamed; take out one-half and reserve it in a separate bowl until 
wanted. To the rest add one quart of pretty warm, sweet milk; 
stir in gradually four pounds of flour, then mix in very thoroughly 
a teacupful of lively, home-made yeast. Let it stand in a warm 
place until very light, which will take about four hours; then add 
the remainder of the butter and sugar, and a little more flour if 
needed; add two pounds of raisins nicely stoned, a little pulverized 
mace, and, if at hand, some candied lemon peel; let it rise again, 
and when well raised mix it well, using the hands, and proportion 
it off into well-buttered pans; let them stand in a moderately warm 
place until beginning to rise ; put them into a steady oven and bake 
them fully an hour, or longer if only one or two pans are used. 
There are no eggs used in this cake — none are needed. It is an 
excellent cake for economical housekeejiers to make in winter, when 
eggs are scarce and high-priced. If the top and sides are frosted 
it will keep moist for a long time. Brown paper is nice to wrap 
cake in before putting it into the cake box. 

Nut Cake. 
One cup of butter, two cups of white sugar, four cups of flour, 
one cup of sweet milk, the whites of eight eggs, three teaspoonfuls 
of baking powder, and two cups of chopped nut meats. 



64 CAKE. 

Nut Cake, No. 2. 
Two eggs, one cup of sugar, one-half cup of butter; beat together 
and add one-half cup of sweet milk, one and one-half cups of sifted 
flour, two teaspoonfuls baking powder, one large cup of chopped 
walnuts; frost when baked; mark in squares and put half a nut 
meat on each square. 

White Nut Cake. 

Whites of twelve eggs beaten to a froth, one cup of butter, two 
cups of sugar, three and one-half cups of flour, teaspoonful of yeast 
powder. After the butter is well mixed add one large cocoanut, 
grated; one large tumblerful of the kernels of pecans, and one 
tumblerful of blanched almonds, the almonds to be slightly 
mashed in a mortar. 

Neapolitan Cake. 

Black: Take one cup of butter, two cups of brown sugar, one 
cup of molasses, one cup of strong cofl^ee, four and a half cu2:)s of 
sifted flour, four eggs, two teaspoonfuls of soda, two of cinnamon, 
two of cloves, one of mace, one pound of raisins, one of currants, 
and a quarter of a pound of citron. 

White: One cup of butter, four cups of Avhite sugar, two cups 
of sweet milk, two cups corn-starch mixed with four and-a-half 
cups of sifted flour, whites of eight eggs, two, tablespoonfuls of 
baking powder, one-half teaspoonful of extract of bitter almo»ds. 
Bake the cakes in round jelly pans with straight edges; the 
loaves should be one and a-half inches thick after baking. When 
the cake is cold, each black loaf should be spread with a thick coat- 
ing of lemon and sugar, made as follows: The white of one egg 
thoroughly beaten, the grated rind of two and the juice of three 
lemons; powdered sugar enough to make a thick frosting; lay a 
white loaf on each black one and frost as you would any other cake. 

Lady Fingers. 

Rub half a pound of butter into a pound of flour; add half a 
pound of sugar; grate in the rind of two lemons, and squeeze in the 



CAKE. 65 

juice of one; then add three eggs; make into a roll the size of the 

middle finger; it will spread in the oven to the size of a thin cake; 

dip in chocolate icing. 

Okange Cake. 

Two cups of sugar, one cup of butter, one cup of sweet milk, 
three cups of flour, yolks of two eggs and whites of five, three tea- 
spoonfuls baking powder, grated peel and juice of one orange. 
Bake in four layers. 

Mlllng. —\yh\tes of three eggs, juice of one orange, fifteen table- 
spoonfuls of sugar. Beat together, spread between the layers and 
on the outside of cake. Pare and divide in small sections two 
oranges and put on top of cake. 

Orange Cake, No. 2. 

Three eggs, one tablespoonful of butter, one and a-half cups of 
sugar, two cups of flour, with two teaspoonfuls of baking powder 
sifted with the flour, one-half cup of rich milk, a very little salt, 
orange juice, or some extract of lemon. Bake on jelly-cake tins. 

Jelly for Orange Cake. — Take two good oranges, grate a part of 
the rind of one, then peel them and grate them all; remove the 
seeds and add one cup of sugar, two tablespoonfuls of water, and 
scald in d tin pail set in a kettle of hot water. Take one table- 
spoonful of corn starch, mix smooth with a few spoonfuls of cold 
water and stir into the orange and cook just enough to cook tlie 
corn starch; when nearly or quite cold, beat the whites of two 
eggs and add powdered sugar for frosting; leave out a little of 
this for the top of the cake if you like, and stir the rest into the 
orange, and you will have a jelly that will not run off or soak into 
the cake. 

Perfection Cake. 

Three cups of sugar, three cups of flour, one cup of butter, one 
cup of milk, one cup of corn starch, the whites of twelve eggs 
beaten to a stiff froth. Before sifting the flour put in three tea- 
spoonfuls of baking powder; sift all together. Dissolve the corn 

5 



66 CAKE. 

starch in the milk and add it to tlie butter and sugar well beaten 
together; then add the flour and whites of the eggs. Never beat 
in a tin dish. 

Pork Cake. 

Take one pound fat salt pork free from lean or rind, chop as fine 
as to be almost like lard, pour upon it one-half pint of boiling 
water; add two cups of sugar, one cup of molasses, one teaspoonful 
of soda stirred into the molasses, one pound of raisins, one-fourth 
pound of citron shaved fine; stir in sifted flour enough to make of 
the consistency of common cake batter; season with one spoonful 
each of nutmeg and cloves and two teaspoonf uls cinnamon. Bake 
in a moderate oven. 

Portuguese Cake. 

Beat together one and one-half cups of butter and four cups of 
susrar, add eisht esfcrs, tAvo at a time, beatinsj five minutes between 
each addition, one pint flour sifted with a heaping teaspoonful of 
baking powder, three cups of almonds blanched and pounded to a 
paste with a little water, one cup of seedless raisins, one cup of 
currants; season with nutmeg; mix into a batter and bake in a 
well-papered tin in a steady oven fo^ one and one-half hours. 

Puff Cake. 
Two cups of sugar, three eggs, one cup of butter, one cup of 
sweet milk, two teaspoonfuls cream of tartar, one teaspoonful of 
soda, and thi-ee cups of flour. Bake in a quick oven, 

Pine-Apple Cake. 
One cup of butter, two cups of' sugar, one cup of milk, three cups 
of flour, whites of six (^^%'^ and yolks of four, three teaspoonfuls of 
baking powder well mixed through flour; bake in jelly-cake pans; 
grate a pine-apple; sprinkle with sugar, spread between the layers; 
pine-apple jam may be substituted; frost the outside; beat two 
tablespoonf uls of the pine-apple into the frosting. 



CAKE. 67 

Pound Cake without Soda. 
One pound of poM^dered sugar, one-half pound of butter, eight 
ecro-s, whites and yolks, beaten separately and well, ten ounces flour, 
one nutmeg. Bake one hour. 

CocoAisruT Pound Cake. 
Beat one-half pound of butter to a cream; add gradually one 
pound of sugar, one pound of flour sifted with two teaspoonfuls of 
baking powder, a pinch of salt, one teaspoonful of grated lemon 
peel, one-fourth pound of prepared cocoanut, four well-beaten eggs, 
one cup of milk; mix thoroughly; butter the tins and line them 
with buttered paper; pour the mixture in to the depth of one and 
one-half inches, and bake in a good oven; when bak^d, take out, 
spread icing over them and return to the oven to dry the icing. 

Pound Cake. 
One and one-half cups of flour, one cup of butter, one and one- 
half cups of sugar, one-half teaspoonful of baking powder. Beat 
butter and flour to a cream; beat the eggs and sugar very light; 
put all together and add the baking powder. 

Plum Cake. 
Beat together two cups of butter, one cup of sugar, two eggs, one 
cup of molasses, one cup of sweet milk, one teaspoonful each of 
allspice, cinnamon and mace, one gill brandy, two pounds each of 
currants and raisins, one-half pound citron, one-half teaspoonful 
soda. Flour to thicken. 

QuiNCY Cake. 
One cup of butter, three cups of powdered sugar, four cups of 
flour sifted with one and one-half teaspoonfuls cream of tartar, one 
cup of sweet milk, one teaspoonful of soda, the juice and rind of 
one fresh lemon, whites of ten eggs beaten to a stiff froth. Bake 
one and one-half or two hours in a pan. 



68 CAKE. 

Queen Cake. 
One pound of sugar, one pound of flour sifted with a heaping 
teaspoonful of baking powder, tbree-foui-tlis of a pound of butter, 
five eggs, one gill of sweet cream, one teaspoonful of extract of 
nectarine, one tablespoonful of water, and one grated nutmeg; beat 
the sugar and butter to a cream, add the eggs beaten very light, 
then the cream and flour, and lastly the flavoring. 

Railkoad Cake. 
One cup of sugar, one cup of floui-, three eggs, one teaspoonful of 
cream of tartar, one-half teaspoonful soda, or one and one-half tea- 
spoonfuls of baking powder, a little salt; beat all together as for 
sponge cake, and spread on two square tins to bake. 

Reception Cake. 
Beat together two cups of butter and two Cups of sugar; add ten 
beaten eggs, one quart of flour sifted with two teaspoonf uls of baking 
powder, two cups of currants, one cup of shaved citron, one-half of 
an orange peel cut fine, one-half cup of blanched almonds cut fine; 
season with allspice and cinnamon; put into a paper-lined cake tin 
and bake in a moderate oven. 

Rice Cake. 

Beat together one-half cup of butter, two cups of sugar, and four 
eggs; add one-half cup of sweet cream; sift together one and one- 
half cups of rice flour, one and one-half cups of flour, and one heap- 
ing teaspoonful of baking powder; mix all together and season 
with lemon extract. Bake in patty pans in a hot oven. 

Rochester Jelly Cake. 
Three eggs, whites and yolks beaten separately, two cups of 
sugar, one-half cup of butter, one cup of sweet milk, three cups of 
flour, one tablespoonful of baking powder. Take one-half of the 
above mixture and bake in two square pans, then add to the 
remainder one cup of stoned and chopped raisins, one-fourth 



CAKE. 69 

pound of citron shaved fine, one teaspoonful cinnamon, one nutmeg, 
one-half teaspoonful each of cloves and allspice, one tablespoonful 
each of molasses and flour. Bake in like pans and place in alternate 
layers with raspberry jam or any kind of jelly. 

The same put together with frosting is called Ribbon Cake. 

Silver Cake. 
Beat to a froth the whites of six eggs; add two cups of sugar, 
two-thirds of a cup of butter; beat well together and add one cup 
of sweet milk with one teaspoonful of soda, two cups of flour 
sifted with two teaspoonfuls of cream of tartar; flavor with any 
extract. 

The same made by substituting the yolks for the whites makes 
a nice gold cake. 

Snow Cake. 

One cup of sugar, one and one-half cups of flour, one heaping 
teaspoonful of baking powder. Sift all together through a sieve 
and add the whites of the eggs beaten stiff. Bake in a quick oven. 

Swiss Cake, 
One-quarter cup of butter, one and a half cups of sugar, two and 
one-half cups of flour, one cup of sweet milk, two eggs, one tea- 
spoonful of cream of tartar, and one-half teaspoonful of soda. Stir 
the butter and sugar to a cream; add the eggs, well beaten. Mix 
and flavor with lemon. This makes a good and inexpensive cake. 

Delicious Sponge Cake, 
Twelve eggs, one j^ound of sugar, twelve ounces of flour, a pinch 
of salt; flavor. Beat the whites to a very stiff froth, the yolks till 
the bubbles look fine. When the yolks are beaten enough add the 
sugar and beat till sugar is dissolved; then add the whites, and 
lastly the flour, and bake immediately in brick-shaped tins. This 
will make two loaves. You will find your cake so much nicer if 
baked in a paste. Make with flour and water only; roll out on the 
board same as pie crust, line your greased tins all over inside with 



70 CAKE. 

the paste and pour in the batter. Bake nearly an hour. Do not 
break off the paste till you want to use it. Your cake will be more 
moist and keep longer; indeed, the cake will be much better a day 
or two old. 

Sponge Cake with Hot AYater. 

One cup of sugar and twffeggs, well beaten together, one tea- 
spoonful of baking powder sifted with one cup of flour; stir well 
together, then stir in one-third cup of boiling water or milk; bake 
quickly in a buttered tin. If these directions are followed the cake 
Avill be very nice. 

Sponge Cake. 

Beat together the yolks of four eggs and one cup of sugar ten 
minutes; add to it one cup of flour sifted with one-half teaspoonful 
baking powder, one teaspoonful extract of orange; then add the 
whites whipped to a stiff froth, and bake in a well-greased ' cake 
mould in a steady oven thirty minutes. 

AYhite Sponge Cake. 
Sift together one cup of flour, one-half cup of corn starch, one 
teaspoonful baking powder; add one cup of sugar, one teaspoonful 
extract of rose, then add the whites of eight eggs whipped to a 
stiff froth; mix thoroughly and bake in a well-buttered cake tin in 
a quick oven thirty minutes. 

Sultana Cake. 
Ber.t together one and one-half cups of butter and one and one- 
half cups of sugar; add six eggs, two at a time, beating five 
minutes between each addition, one and one-half, pints of flour 
sifted with one teaspoonful baking powder, one-half cup of thick 
cream, four cups of Sultana raisins, one-half cup of chopped citron; 
mix thoroughly and put in a paper-lined cake tin well buttered. 
Bake in a moderate oven one and one-fourth hours, When done, 
spread with transjjarent icing. 



CAKE. 71 

Spice Cake. 
Beat together one cup of butter and two cups of sugar; add tw'^o 
beaten eggs, one cup of milk, three cups of flour with two tea- 
. spoonfuls of baking powder, one-half cup each of seeded raisins 
and currants; season with nutmeg, cloves, and cinnamon. 

Seed Cake. 
Beat together one cup of sugar, one-third of a cup of butter, and 
two e^gs; add one-half cup of milk, and two cups flour sifted with 
two teaspoonfuls of baking powder; stir in one tablespoon ful of 
coriander seed and season with nutmeg. Bake in a loaf or in 
patty tins. 

TuNBEiDGE Cake. 

Bake a plain sponge cake in a cylinder-mould; when cold cut it 
in thin slices, lay the bottom piece on a plate, spread over any kind 
of fruit jelly and two tablespoonfuls of any kind of wine; repeat 
this until all the cake is used; prepare a meringue paste of the 
whites of four eggs beaten stiff, with two cups of sugar; use it to 
entirely cover the top and sides of the cake; sift sugar plentifully 
over it and place it in an oven to brown just a fawn color; when 
ready to serve slide it off the plate into a glass dish and pile round 
it one pint of whipped cream. Flavor with any extract to suit the 
taste. Nice for tea or for dessert. 

Taylok Cake. 
Seven eggs beaten separately; beat with the yolks two pounds of 
sugar, one and one-half pounds of butter (less butter will do); 
then add seven coffeecups of fluur sifted with two and one-half tea- 
spoonfuls of baking powdei*, one pound of currants, one pound of 
seeded raisins, three nutmegs, a tablespoonful of cinnamon, one pint 
of milk, and lastly the beaten whites of the ogg'^. 

Wedding Cake. 
First procure the following ingredients: One pound and a Iialf of 
flour, the same of butter, half a pound of candied lemon, half a 



72 



CAKE. 



pound of candied orange, half a pound of candied citron, one pound 
of dried cherries, one pound and a half of currants (or if the cher- 
ries cannot be readily obtained, use a pound more of curi-ants), 
eight ounces of almonds, eight eggs, the rind of four oranges, or of 
two lemons rubbed upon sugar, half an ounce of spices, consisting 
of powdered cinnamon, grated nutmeg, and ground cloves in equal 
proportion, a teaspoonful of salt, and a small tumblerful of brandy 
(if objected to, the brandy may be omitted and another egg added). 

Wash, pick and dry the 



currants, cut the cherries 
into moderate sized pie- 
ces, slice the candied peel 
into thin shreds, blanch 
and pound the almonds, 
or cut them into very 
small pieces, and crush 
the flavored sugar to pow- 
der. Put the butter into 
a large bowl, and beat it 
to cream, either with a 
wooden spoon or with the 
hand. Add very gradu- 
ally the sugar, flour, and 
eggs, and when they are 
thoroughly mixed work 
in the rest of the ingredients. Put them in a little at a time and 
beat the cake between each addition. It should be beaten fully 
three-fourths of an hour. Line a tin hoop with double thicknesses 
of buttered paper, pour in the mixture, and place it on a metal 
baking-sheet with twelve folds of paper under it, and four or five 
on top, to keep it from burning. Put it into a moderately heated 
oven, and keep the oven at an even temperature until it is done 
enough. If the cake is to be iced, first prepare the almond part: 
Take half a pound of almonds, throw them into boiling water, and 




CAKE. 73 

skin them. Pound them in a mortar with a few drops of orange- 
flower water, one pound of fine white sugar, and as much white of 
egg as will make a soft, stiff paste. Spread this over the top of 
the cake, and keep it from the edge as much as possible. Put it in 
a cool oven or in a warm place, till it is dry and hard. To make 
the sugar icing, put two pounds of icing sugar into a bowl and 
work it into the whites of two, or if necessary, three, or even four, 
eggs. The whites must not be whisked, but thrown in as they are. 
Work the mixture to a stiff, shiny paste, and whilst working it add 
occasionally a drop of lemon-juice. Be careful to obtain icing 
sugar. If a drop of liquid blue is added it will make it look whiter. 
The icing will need to be worked vigorously to make a paste that 
will not run, and the fewer eggs taken the better. The cake ought 
not to be iced until a short time before it is wanted, as it may get 
dirty. The icing should be spread evenly over with the hand 
wetted with cold water, then smoothed with an ivory knife, and it 
should be put into a gentle oven to harden. It may be ornamented 
with little knobs of icing placed round the edge; and on the day of 
the wedding a wreath of white flowers and green leaves may be 
placed round it by way of ornament. If anything more elaborate 
is required, a pretty center ornament may be made with glazed 
white card board, silver paper, and orange blossom; or a stand and 
a drum, with artificial flowers, may be hired of the confectioner. 
Time to bake the cake, about six hours. 

Wedding Cake, No 2. 

Six cups butter, four cups sugar, sixteen eggs, three pints flour, 
six cups currants, washed, dried, and picked, three cups sultana 
raisins, three cups citron, two cups candied lemon peel, two cups 
almonds, blanched and cut in shreds, one-half pint brandy, two 
ounces each nutmeg, mace, and cinnamon, one tablespoonful each 
cloves and allspice. 

Prepare all these ingredients in the following manner: Place the 
butter and sugar in a large bowl; break the eggs into a quart mea- 
sure or pitcher; cover a small waiter with a clean sheet of paper. 



74 CAKE. 

and on it lay the sifted flour, fruit, citron, and lemon peel cut into 
shreds, the almonds and spices, with the brandy measured at hand; 
also get ready a large cake tin by papering it inside with white 
paper, and outside and bottom with four or five thicknesses of 
coarse wrapping j)aper, which can be tied on. 

Having thus prepared everything, and the fire banked up to last, 
with the addition from time to time of just a shovelful of coal, by 
which means you will not reduce the oven heat, proceed to beat to 
a very light cream the butter and sugar, adding the eggs, two at a 
time, beating a little between each addition until all are used; then 
put in contents of the waiter all at once with the brandy; mix very 
thoroughly, and smooth; put it into the prepared cake tin, smooth 
over the top, put plenty of paper on to protect it, and bake eight 
hours, keeping the oven steadily up to a clear, moderate heat; 
watch it faithfully, and you will produce a cake worthy of the occa- 
sion; remove from the oven very carefully, and suffer it to stay on 
the tin until quite cold; the next day ice it with a thin coat of 
Wh'te Ici>i{/, both the top and the sides; and place in a cool oven 
to dry the icing. Now spread a second coat of icing, which will 
prevent any crumbs or fruit being mixed up with the icing when 
you are icing to finish; now with a broad knife proceed, when the 
first coat is dry, to ice the sides, then pour the icing on the center 
of the cake, in quantity sufiicient to reach the edges, when stop; 
decorate with a vase of white, made flowers, etc., to taste. 

Vanilla Cake. 
One cup of butter, two cu])s of pulverized sugar, one cup of sweet 
milk, tliree cups of flour, one-half cup of corn starch sifted witli two 
teaspoonfuls of baking powder, four eggs, two teaspoonfuls extract 
of vanilla. 

Washington Cake. 

Tliree- fourths pound of butter, one and one-fourth pounds of 
su'jar beaten torjether; add four beaten eggs, one pint milk, one 
and one-fourtli pounds of Hour, with two teaspoonfuls baking pow- 



CAKE. 75 

der, one and one-half pounds of seedless raisins, one and one-half 
pounds of currants, one glass brandy; spice to taste. 

Wine Cake. 

Beat together one and one-half cups of butter and two cups of 
sugar; add three beaten eggs, two cups of flour with one teaspoon- 
ful baking powder, one gill of wine; mix into a firm batter and 
bake in a moderate oven. Frost. 

Webster Cakes. 
Beat together thoroughly one cup of butter, three cups of sugar, 
and two eggs; add five cups of flour sifted with two teaspoonfuls 
of baking powder, one and one-half cups of milk, two cups of 'seed- 
less raisins, one teaspoonful each of extract of bitter almonds and 
vanilla. Bake in a quick, steady oven forty-five minutes. 

Watermelon Cake. 

White part: Two cups of j^ulverized sugar, two-thirds cup each 
of butter and sweet milk, three cups of flour sifted with one table- 
spoonful baking powder, and the whites of five eggs; flavor. 

Red part; One cup of red sugar sand, one-half cup of butter, 
two-thirds cup of milk, two cups of flour, one heaping teaspoonful 
of baking powder, whites of five eggs, and one-half pound of raisins. 

In filling the cake pan put the white part outside and the red part 
inside; drop in the raisins here and there where they belong for 
seeds. 

White Cake. 

Whites of eight eggs well whipped, three cups of pulverized 
sugar, one cup of butter, one cup of milk, four cups of sifted flour 
with one teaspoonful cream of tartar, one-half teaspoonful of soda 
dissolved in the milk, juice of one lemon. Bake one hour in a 
moderate oven. 

Yule Cake. 

Rub together two and one-half cups of butter and three cups of 
sugar; add ten beaten eggs, four cups of flour with two teaspoon- 



76 COOKIES, jmiBLES AND SNAPS. 

fuls baking j^owder, four cups of currants, two-thirds cup of 
cliopped citron, one teaspoonful each of extract of nutmeg and 
cloves, one gill brandy. Bake in a well-greased, paper-lined tin, in 
a moderate oven, two and one-half hours. 

Crullers. 
One-half pint of buttermilk, one cup of butter, two cups of 
sugar, and three eggs; beat up the eggs and add the sugar and 
milk. Dissolve half a teaspoonful of saleratus in a little hot water; 
add to" the mixture, with a teaspoonful of salt, one-half nutmeg 
grated and half a teaspoonful of fresh ground cinnamon. Work in 
as much flour as will make a smooth dough; mix thoroughly; 
dredge the board, rolling-pin, and dough with flour; roll it out and 
cut it in. rings or fingers and fry in hot fat. 

Crullers, No, 2. 

Three eggs, one cup of sugar, one-half cup of butter, one cup of 
milk, three teaspoonfuls of baking powder, nutmeg, cinnamon and 
lemon juice, or extract to taste; flour sufficient to stiffen. Cut in 
strips and fry in lard. 

Crullers, No. 3. 

Six eggs, one cup of butter, two cups of sugar, one-half cup of 
milk, and flour to roll out easily. They should be rolled out about 
one-half inch thick; cut with a jagging iron or knife in strips about 
one-half inch wide, and twist so as to form cakes. The fat 
should boil up as the cakes are put in and they should be constantly 
watched while frying. When brown on the underside, turn them; 
when brown on both sides they are sufficiently done. 



COOKIES, JUMBLES AND SNAPS. 77 

COOKIES, JUMBLES, AND SNAPS. 

Almond Cookies. 
Half a pound of butter, same of sugar, one-and one-fourtli pounds 
of flour (or half corn starch), one good teaspoonf ul baking powder, 
two eggs; flavor with extract of almond, and mix into a smooth 
dough to roll out Avith a little milk; roll quarter of an inch thick, 
and cut in any shape; wash them over, Avhen cut, with a little 
water and sprinkle with chopped almonds, and sift over a little fine 
sugar. 

Almond Cookies. 

Two pounds of butter, three pounds of sugar, one pound of 
shelled almonds, one dozen eggs, one teaspoonful of ground cinna- 
mon, one-half teaspoonful of soda, a cup of boiling water, one 
lemon grated; mix butter, sugar, yolks of eggs, lemon, cinnamon, 
and hot water; beat the whites, take three parts, mix also one-half 
of the almonds, and as much flour as it will hold; roll them, and 
brush with the whites of eggs. Before putting in the almonds and 
sugar, almonds must be scalded, dried and cut fine. Bake in a 
moderate oven. 

CocoAxuT Cookies. 

Two cups sugar, one cup butter, two eggs, one teaspoonful soda 
dissolved in a tablespoonf ul of milk, one cocoanut, and flour enough 
to roll. 

Cookies. 

One quart flour sifted, three teaspoonfuls baking powder, two 
eggs, one cup of sugar, half a cup of butter, three tablespoonfuls 
of milk; mix soft and roll; flavor with any extract. 

Ceeam Cookies. 
Two cups sugar, two eggs, one cup sour cream, one cup butter, 
one teaspoonful soda, one teaspoonful lemon extract or one-half a 
nutmeg grated; flour enough to make a dough as soft as it can be 
rolled. Delicious. 



78 COOKIES, JUMBLES AND SNAPS. 

Cookies, No. 2. 

One cup sugar, one-half cup lard or butter, one-half cup sour 
milk, one-half teaspoonful soda, just flour enough to roll, baking 
quickly. Add any flavoring you wish. No eggs are required. 
These are very nice if grated or prepared cocoanut is added. 

Cookies, No. 3, 

One cup of butter, two cups sugar, four eggs, four cups flour, 
three tablespoonfuls milk, three teaspoonfuls baking powder. Rub 
the flour and butter thoroughly together, cream the butter and 
sugar, beat the eggs separately; add to the above, with a little nut- 
meg or cinnamon, or any seasoning preferred. Sift in the flour and 
baking powder, and add enough flour to mold and roll out. These 
cookies will keep fresh two weeks, and if the milk is left out, a 

m.onth. 

Cookies, No. 4. 

One and one-half cups of white sugar, four eggs, one cup of lard, 
half cup of butter, three tablespoonfuls of water, one teaspoonful 
soda, a half grated nutmeg; roll thin; dust over with sugar and roll 
down lightly. Bake quickly. 

Egoless Cookies. 

Two cups sugar, one cup sweet milk, one cup butter, one-half 
teaspoonful soda. Flour enough to roll. Use vanilla, lemon or 
nutmeg for seasoning. They are very nice. 
Gixger Cookies. 

One cup sugar, one cup molasses, one cup shortening, two beaten 
eggs, one teaspoonful soda dissolved in four tablespoonfuls of but- 
termilk, one tablespoonful ginger. Stir with a spoon until stiff 
enough to mold with the hand; roll and bake in a quick oven. 
Graha:m Cookies. 

Two cups of sugar, one cup of sour cream, one-half teaspoonful 
of soda; mix quickly, roll and bake. These require less heat and 
more time in bakinsf than when M'hite flour is used. 



COOKIES, JUJilBLES AND SNAPS. 79 

Molasses Cookies. 
Three cups of New Orleans molasses, one cup of lard, a half cup 
butter, four teaspoonfuls soda dissolved in ten tablespoonfuls boil- 
ing water; one tablespoonful ginger, one teaspoonful cinnamon. 

Sugar Cookies. 
Two cups of sugar, one cup of butter, one-half cup of milk, two 
eggs, two teaspoonfuls of cream of tartar, one teaspoonful soda, a 
tablespoonful caraway seeds. Mix soft and roll. 
HicKORY-KUT Cookies. 
Take two cups of sugar, two eggs, half a cup of melted butter, 
six tablespoonfuls of milk, or a little more than a third of a cup, 
one teaspoonful of cream of tartar, half a teaspoonful of soda and 
one cup of chopped meats stirred into the dough. 

Sand Lasts. 
Rub together two pounds of sugar, two pounds of flour, one and 
a quarter pounds of butter beaten with three eggs; mix smooth and 
roll out and cut into cakes. Place hickory-nut or almond meats 
over the top. Wet over with the whole of an egg beaten, and- 
sprinkle with cinnamon and fine sugar. 

Jumbles. 

Three eggs, one and one-fourth cups sugar, one cup butter, three 
tablespoonfuls sour milk, one-quarter teaspoonful saleratus, flour to . 
mix hard. After it is kneaded and rolled out, sift sugar over the 
top. Season if you like. 

Jumbles, No. 2. 

One cup of butter, two cups of sugar, one cup of milk, five eggs, 
one teaspoonful of cream of tartar, and half a teaspoonful of soda. 

Ginger Snaps. 
One cup of sugar, one cup of molasses, one cup of butter, one 
teaspoonful soda, one teaspoonful ginger, one egg. 



80 COOKIES, JUMBLES AND SNAPS. 

Ginger Snaps, No. 2. 
One cup molasses, one-half cup lard, one teaspoonful soda, salt 
and ginger to taste; mix hard. 

Ginger Snaps, ISTo. 3. 
One coffeecup New Orleans molasses, one cup butter, one cup 
sugar; place them on the stove, and let it come to a boil, then take 
oif immediately, and add a teaspoonful of soda, and a tablespoon- 
ful of ginger. Roll thin and bake quickly. 

Doughnuts. 

Two beaten eggs, one cup of sugar, four tablespoonfuls melted 
lard, one cup of sour milk, one teaspoonful of soda, a little salt, 
seasoning to the taste; flour to make a soft dough to roll out; fry 
in hot lard. 

Doughnuts Without Eggs. 

Two quarts of flour, one pint of milk, one heaping cup of sugar, 
and a piece of butter the size of an egg. Scald the milk, and when 
tepid add the sugar, the butter, a half cup of yeast, and a half tea- 
spoonful of soda. Pour this all into the center of the flour, using 
enough of flour to make a sponge. Let it rise all night in a warm 
place. In the morning sprinkle in whatever spice you want ; then 
knead in the rest of the flour; let it rise again until light; knead 
again and roll them. After they are cut out let them stand five 
minutes. Fry in boiling lard. 

Doughnuts, Raised. 
Make a sponge, using one quart water and one cake yeast; let it 
rise until very light, then add one cup of lard, two cups of sugar, 
three large mashed potatoes, two eggs, season with nutmeg; let rise 
again until very light. Roll and cut, or pull off bits of dough and 
shape as you like; lay enough to fry at one time on a floured plate 
and set in the oven to warm; drop in boiling lard and fry longer 
than cakes made with baking powder. 



COOKIES, JUMBLES AND SNAPS. 81 

Cream Doughnuts. 

Beat one cup each of sour cream and sugar, and two eggs, 
together; add a level teaspoonful of soda, a little salt, and flour 
enough to roll. 

Fried Cakes. 

Seven tablespoonfuls of sugar, three tablespoonfuls of melted 
lard, three tablespoonfuls of melted butter, three eggs, one cup of 
milk, one teaspoonful of soda, two teaspoonfuls of cream of tartar; 
flour enough to roll out soft. Roll in pulverized sugar when half 
cold. 

Snow Balls, White. 

One cup of sugar, six tablespoonfuls of melted butter, two eggs, 
one cup of sweet milk, two teaspoonfuls of cream of tartar, one of 
soda, a very little nutmeg, one teaspoonful of salt; mix middling 
soft and roll out, and cut with a small round cutter. Your tea 
canister top may be just the right size. Fry in hot lard. Have 
ready a small bowl with a little fine white sugar in it. As you 
take them from the lard drop them in the sugar and roll around 
quickly until the surface has a very thin coat of sugar all over it, 
then lay carefully on a plate. Repeat with each cake separately, 
adding a little fresh sugar occasionally. 



CHAPTER IV., 

CREAMS AND CUSTARDS. 

Apple Sxow. 
S[||UT twelve tart apples in cold water over a slow fire; when 
soft skin and core. Mix in a pint of sifted white sugar, beat 
^ the whites of twelve eggs to a stiff froth, then add to the 
apples and sugar. Put in a dessert dish and ornament with myrtle. 
It will be found much better if frozen. 

Almond Ceeam. 

Take three ounces of sweet and one ounce of bitter almonds, 
blanch them; put them in a pan over the fire, stirring them con- 
tinually. As soon as they have acquired a fine yellow color, take 
them off the fire, and when cold pound them into fine pieces; then 
add a pint of cream or rich milk, nearly boiling, and three or four 
heaping tablespoonfuls of sugar, and one-half package of gelatine 
which has been dissolved in a little water. Put it upon the ice, and 
when about to thicken stir it until it is very smooth, then stir in 
lightly a pint of whipped cream and put it into a mold. 

Apple Float. 
One cup of pulverized sugar, one cup of cream beaten to a stiff 
froth, five eggs beaten light, one lemon, four large apples grated, 
three tablespoonfuls of gelatine dissolved in warm water. Fills one 
quart bowl. 

Bavaroise. 

One pint of milk; add four tablespoonfuls of ground coffee; cook 
until well mixed, "^nd strain through a jelly-bag; add the beaten 

82 



CREAMS AND CUSTARDS. 83 

yollcs of four eggs, a cup of sugar, and cook as for a custard; set in 
a cold place, and when cool add a pint of whipped cream in which 
has been stirred one-third of a box of dissolved gelatine, and stand 
in a cool place until it thickens. 

Blakc Mange. 
Take four ounces of sweet almonds and one-half ounce of bitter 
almonds, blanched; pound them in a mortar, moistening them occa- 
sionally with orange-flower water; mix this with one quart of fresh 
cream; set the cream and almonds on the fire, stirring constantly; 
when it comes to a scald pour in one-half box of gelatine which has 
been previously dissolved by soaking in half a cup of cold water 
one hour. 

Cream a la Mode. 

Put half a pound of white sugar into a deep glass dish; the juice 
of one large orange and one lemon; to one ounce of isinglass or 
gelatine add one pint of water; let it simmer down one-half, and 
when cool strain it into the glass dish, and by degi*ees add one and 
one-half pints of whipped cream; stir till cool, and place it on ice to 
stiffen. 

Coffee Cream. 

Sweeten one pint of rich cream rather liberally; roast two ounces 
of coffee kernels; when they are lightly browned throw them into 
the cream at once, and let the dish stand an hour before using; 
strain, and whip the cream to a stiff froth. A teaspoonf ul of pow- 
dered gum arable dissolved in a little orange-flower water, may be 
added to give the cream more firmness, if desired. 

Batariax Cream. 
Whip one pint of cream to a stiff froth, and set in a colander 
one minute to allow the un whipped portion to drip away; boil one 
pint of milk and one-half cup of sugar; flavor with vanilla, and add 
one-half package of gelatine dissolved in water, remove from 
the fire, and cool; add the well-beaten wliites of four eggs. When 
the mixture has become quite cold add the whipped cream gi-adually 



84 CREAMS AND CUSTARDS. 

until it is well mixed; put into individual molds a teaspoonful of 
some bright jelly or jam, then j^our the mixture and place in an 
ice-chest until wanted. This cream may be flavored in any way 
desii-ed. 

Chocolate Bavarian Cream 
Can be made as the preceding by adding two cakes of sweet 
chocolate, soaked and stirred smooth in two tablespoonfuls of water, 
to the yolks of the eggs. 

Caledoxia:n' Cream. 
Two ounces of raspberry jam or jelly, two ounces of red currant 
jelly, two ounces of sifted loaf sugai', the whites of two eggs put 
into a bowl and beaten with a spoon for three-quarters of an hour. 
This makes a very pi*etty cream, and is good and economical. 

Charlotte Russe Elegante. 
One-half package of gelatine dissolved in a very little water; 
one quart of whipped cream, flavored and sweetened to taste. 
Line a mold with sponge or white cake; stir the gelatine into 
the cream and pour into the prepared mold. The cake may be 
soaked in a little wine if preferred. 

Charlotte Russe. 
One pint of cream well whipped; beat five tablespoonfuls of sugar 
with the yolks of four eggs; simmer together one-half pint of milk 
and one-half ounce of isinglass or gelatine till the gelatine is dis- 
solved, then mix Avith the beaten yolks and the sugar, then the 
whites of the eggs well beaten, then the whipped cream; flavor 
with one gill of wine and set it aside to cool; pour it into a mold 
which was previously lined with pieces of sponge cake. When it is 
stiff and solid turn out into a dish and sift sugar over the toj). 

Charlotte Russe, No. 2. 
One box of gelatine soaked in milk one-half hour; while it is 
soaking make a soft custard with the yolks of seven eggs, one pint 
of milk, and one-half pound of crushed sugar. When the custard 



CREAMS AND CUSTARDS. 85 

begins to boil pour in the gelatine and it will dissolve; when dis- 
solved, strain the custard through a sieve and add one gill of cold 
cream; then let it cool a little, but not enough to thicken; whip a 
good quart of thick cream, add vanilla or any flavoring to suit the 
taste, add this to the custard, set it in the ice chest and stir occa- 
sionally until it begins to thicken. Then beat the whites of the 
seven eggs to a froth, adding two tablespoonfuls of powdered 
sugar, and stir into the custard and cream, stirring occasionally 
vei-y gently until it is thick enough to turn into the molds which 
have been lined with sponge fingers or slices. Sat them back in 
the ice chest. 

Fruit Chaelotte. 

Line a dish with sponge cake; place upon the bottom, in the 
centre of the dish, grated pine-apple; cover with a whipped cream 
blanc mange. Keep back a little of. the cream to pour over the top 
after it is poured out of the mold. 

Genoese Ceea3I. 
One pint of milk, one tablespoonful of flour, one tablespoonful of 
sugar. Boil until it thickens; add the yolks of three eggs and a 
piece of butter the size of an egg; flavor with lemon or vanilla. 
Cover the bottom of the dish with sponge cake, spreading one side 
of the cake with currant or other jelly. Pour on the cream and 
dust the top with sugar. 

Italian Ceeam. 
Put one ounce of soaked isinglass, six ounces of loaf sugar, and 
one pint of milk, into a sauce pan ; boil slowly and stir all the time 
until the isinglass is dissolved; strain the mixture, and, when cool, 
mix it with a pint of thick cream; flavor with one teaspoonful 
of extract of bitter almond, and one gill of rose water. Beat 
thoroughly until it thickens; pour into a large or into indi^ndual 
molds and put into an ice box until wanted. 



86 CREAMS AND CUSTARDS. ' 

Makioca. Cream. 
Three tablespoonfuls of manioca, one pint of milk, three eggs, 
vanilla and sugar to taste; soak the manioca in water till soft; boil 
the milk; while boiling stir in thei manioca and the yolks of the 
eggs beaten with the sugar; when cooked sufficiently pour into a 
dish to cool; when cold, add the vanilla; beat the whites of the 
eggs until stiff, sweeten and flavor them and stir part into the 
cream, putting the rest on top. 

RussE Cream. 
One-half box of gelatine soaked in a little water one hour, one 
quart of milk, one cup of sugar, and four eggs. Mix sugar, milk, 
yolks of eggs, and gelatine together; put in a pail, set in a kettle 
of water and boil twenty minutes. Beat the whites of the eggs 
stiff, and stir into the custard after taking off the fire. Flavor with 
vanilla and pour into molds. Serve with sugar and cream or with 
custard. 

Rock Cream. 

Boil rice until quite soft in new mi-Ik, sweeten with powdered 
loaf sugar. Pile it in a dish and lay on it in different places lumps 
of currant jelly, or any kind of preserves; beat the whites of five 
eggs to a stiff froth; add flavoring and a tablespoonful of thick 
cream; di'op it over the rice forming a rock of ci'eam. 

Spanish Cream. 
Make a soft custard of one quart of milk, the yolks of six eggn, 
six tablespoonfuls of sugar. Put one box of gelatine dissolved in 
one pint of water over the fire; add the custard; flavor with vanilla. 
Strain into molds and set in a cool place. 

Tapioca Cream. 
One cup of tapioca soaked for eight hours in milk enough to 
cover; then take one quart of milk, place on the stove, and when it 
boils add the beaten yolks of two eggs and the tapioca; let it boil up, 



CREAMS AND CUSTARDS. 87 

tlien stir the beaten whites very thorouglily through it. Sweeten 
and flavor to taste. Eat cold. 

Whipped Cream. 
To one quart very thick whipped cream, add powdered sugar to 
taste and a glass of wine. Make just before ready to use. 

Whipped Cream Sauce. 

Mix a plateful of whipped cream (flavored with vanilla), the 
beaten whites of two eggs and pulverized sugar to taste, all together; 
pile a bank of this mixture in the center of a platter and form a 
circle of little fru puddings (steamed in cups) around it, or it is 
nice for corn starch, blanc manges, etc. 

Single cream is cream that has stood on the milk twelve hours. 
It is the best for tea and coffee. Double cream stands on its milk 
twenty-four hours, and cream for butter frequently stands forty- 
eight hours. Cream that is to be whipped should not be butter 
cream, lest in whipping it change to butter. 

Almond Custard. 

One pint of new milk, one cup of pulverized sugar, one-quarter 
pound of almonds (blanched and pounded), two teaspoonfuls rose 
water, the yolks of four eggs; stir this over a slow fire until it is 
of the consistency of cream, then remove it quickly and put into a 
dish. Beat the whites with a little sugar added to the froth, and 
lay on top. 

Apple Custard. 

One pint of mashed stewed apples, one pint of sweet milk, four 
eggs, one cup of sugar, and a little nutmeg. Bake slowly. 

Boiled Custaed. 
Allow five eggs to one quart of milk, a tablespoonful of sugar to 
each egg, set the milk in a kettle of boiling water until it scalds; 
then, after dipping a little of the milk on to the eggs and beating 
up, turn into the scalded milk, and stir until it thickens. Flavor 
to taste; 



88 CREAMS AND CUSTARDS. 

Baked Custard. 
One quart of milk, five eggs, a pinch of salt, sugar and flavor to 
taste, boil the milk; when cool, stir in the beaten eggs and sugar, 
pour into cups, set them in pans of water, and bake; if baked too 
long, will become watery. 

Chocolate Custard. 
Make a boiled custard with one quart of milk, the yolks of six 
eggs, six tablespoonfuls of sugar, and one-half cup of grated vanilla 
chocolate. Boil until thick enough, stirring all the time. When 
nearly cold, flavor with Vanilla. Pour into cups, and put the whites 
of the eggs beaten with some powdered sugar on the top. 

Coffee Custard. 
One-half pint of rich cream, one-half cup cold coffee, four eggs, 
sugar to taste. 

CoRX Starch Custard. 

Most persons know how to make a corn starch custard. A rich 
one can be made as follows: One quart of milk with five beaten 
eggs in it; sweeten and flavor to choice, adding one-fourth pound 
of corn starch; place over the fire, stirring quickly to avoid burn- 
ing to the bottom, until it begins to thicken. Or, can take less egg 
by using more corn starch, as follows: One quart of milk, two eggs, 
sugar and flavor to taste, one-half pound of corn starch. If this is 
too much starch and it becomes too thick, take it ofi' the fire, add a 
a little milk, stirring till smooth, A custard is best made in a 
vessel placed in boiling water, as there is no risk of burning. 
Custards require to be stiffer for filling cream puffs, chocolate eclares, 
charlotte russes, etc. The above receipts are thick enough for any 
of the purposes, and, if required for simple custard, less starch 
will do. 

CocoANUT Custard. 

To one pound of grated cocoanut, allow one pint of scalding 
milk and six ounces of.sugai'. Beat well the yolks of six eggs and 



CREAMS AND CUSTARDS. 89 

stir them alternately into the milk with the cocoanut and sugar. 
Pour this into a dish lined with paste and bake twenty minutes; or, 
if preferred, treat the milk, cocoanut, eggs, and sugar as for boiled 
custard, and serve in cuj^s. 

Cold Cup Custard. 
One quart of new milk, one pint of cream, one-fourth pound of 
fine white sugar, three large tablespoonfuls of wine, in which 
rennet has been soaked. Mix the milk, cream and sugar togetlier, 
stir the wine into it, pour the mixture into custard cups, and set 
them away until the milk becomes a curd. Grate nutmeg on top 
and eat them with cream that has been kept on ice. 

Caramel Custard. 

Put two dessert-spoonfuls of crushed sugar into a tin pan ; let it 
stand on the stove till it begins to brown, then stir constantly till it 
is a thick, black syrup. Pour it into a quart of scalding milk; add 
six ounces of white sugar and the yolks of six eggs. Beat and 
pour into cups, set in a pan of hot water in the oven and bake 
twenty minutes. 

Lemon Custard. 

Four eggs (leave out the white of one), one cup of sugar, one cup 
of cold water, one grated lemon, a small piece of butter, one table- 
spoonful of corn starch; bake as custard; after it is baked, cover it 
with the beaten white and pulverized sugar; return to the oven; 
bake a light brown. 

Moonshine. ^ 

Beat the whites of six eggs into a very stiff froth, then add grad- 
ually six tablespoonfuls of powdei'ed sugar, beating for not less 
than fifteen minutes; then beat in one heaping tablespoon ful of 
preserved peaches cut in tiny bits. In serving, pour in each saucer 
some rich cream sweetened and flavored with vanilla, and on the 
cream place a liberal portion of the moonshine. This quantity is 
enough for seven or eight persons. 



90 



CRExUIS AXD CUSTARDS. 



Floating Island. 
Set a quart of milk to boil, then stir into it the beaten yolks of 
six eggs; flavor with any extract liked and sweeten to taste; whip 
whites of eggs to a stiff froth. When the custard is thick, put 
into a deep dish, and heap the frothed eggs upon it. Place pieces 
of currant jelly on top and serve cold. 

Floating Island, N"o. 2. 
Into three-quarters of a pint of cream, put sugar to make it very 

sweet, and the juice and rind of a lemon grated. Beat it for ten 

minutes. Cut French rolls into 
thin slices, and lay them on a 
round dish on the top of the 
cream. On this put a layer of 
apricot or currant jam, and some 
more slices of roll. Pile upon 
this, very high, a whip made of 
damson jam, and the whites of 

four eggs. It should be rough to imitate a rock. Garnish with 

fruits or sweetmeats. ' 

Irish Moss. 

Soak a scant handful of Irish moss in strong soda water until it 
swells; then squeeze the moss until it is free from water, and put it 
in a tin bucket which contains six pints of sweet milk. Set the 
bucket in a l.arge iron pot which holds several pints of hot water; 
stir seldom, and let it remain until it will jell slightly by dropping 
on a cold plate. Strain through a sieve, sweeten and flavor to 
taste. Rinse a mold or a crock with tepid water; pour in the mix- 
ture, and set it away to cool. In a few hours it will be palatable. 
Eat with cream and sugar — some add jelly. 

Qfaktng CtrSTAHD. 
Three cups of milk; yolks of four eggs, reserving the whites for 
the meringue ; one-half package gelatine; six tablespoonfuls of 
sugar; vanilla flavoring; juice of one lemon for meringue. Soak 




CREAMS AND CUSTARDS. 91 

the gelatine two hours in a cup of the cold milk. Then add 
to the rest of the milk, which must be boiling hot, and stir until 
dissolved. Let it stand a few minutes, and strain through muslin 
over the beaten yolks and sugar. Put over the fire and stir five 
minutes, or until you can feel it thickening. Stir up well when 
nearly cold, flavor, and let it alone until it congeals around the 
edges of the bowl into which you have poured it; then stir again, 
and put into a wet mold. Set upon ice, or in cold water until firm. 
Turn it, when you are ready for it, into a glass bowl. Have a 
meringue made by whipping the whites stiff with three tablespoon- 
^fuls of powdered sugar, and the lemon Juice. 

Orange Snow. 
Peel sweet oranges, slice and lay them in a glass dish with alter- 
nate layers of grated cocoanut and powdered loaf sugar, leaving a 
layer of cocoanut on top. Pour over the whole a glass of orange 
and lemon juice mixed. Place on ice until ready to serve. 



CHAPTER V. 

CONFECTIONERY. 

General Directions. 
•j^RANULATED sugar is preferable. Candy should not be 
stirred while boiling. Cream of tartar should not be added 
until the syrup begins to boil. Butter should be put in when 
the candy is almost done. Flavors are more delicate when not 
boiled in the candy. 

Almond Candy. 

Proceed in the same way as for cocoanut candy. Let the almonds 
be perfectly dry and do not throw them into the sugar until it 
approaches the candying point. 

Almond Creams. 
Three cups of sugar, one and one-half cups of water, one-half 
teaspoonf ul of cream of tartar, flavor with vanilla. Boil until drops 
will almost keep their shape in water, and add a cup of blanched 
almonds chopped fine, then pour into a bowl set in cold water; stir 
steadily with a silver or wooden spoon until cool enough to beai* 
the hand; then place on a platter and knead to a fine even texture. 
If too hard, a few drops of warm water may be stirred in. If too 
•soft, it must be boiled again. When well molded, cut in squares 
or bars. Almond cream is very nice flavored with chocolate. 

Bon Bons, 

Take some fine fresh candied orange rind or citron, clear off the 
sugar that adheres to it, cut it into inch squares, stick these singly 
on the prong of a fork or ozier twigs, and dip them into a solution 
of sugar boiled to the consistency of candy, and place them on a 



CONFECTIONERY. 93 

dish rubbed with the smallest possible quantity of salad oil. When 
perfectly cold put them into dry tin boxes with paper between each 

layer. 

Butter Scotch. 

One cup of molasses, one cup of sugar, one-half cup of butter. 

Boil until done. 

Boston Caramels. 

One pint bowl of grated chocolate, two bowls of yellow sugar, 
one bowl of New Orleans molasses, one-half cup of milk, a piece 
of butter the size of a small egg, and vanilla flavor; boil about 
twenty-five minutes; this should not be so brittle as other candies. 
Pour in buttered tins and mark deeply with a knife. 

Cream Cocoanut Candy. 
One and a half pounds of sugar, one-half cup of milk; boil ten 
minutes; one grated cocoanut added; boil until thick; put on 
greased pans quite thick; when partially cold cut in strips. 

Cocoanut Caramels. 
Two cups of grated cocoanut, one cup of sugar, two tablespoon- 
fuls of flour, the whites of three eggs beaten stiff; bake on a but- 
tered paper in a quick oven. 

Cocoanut Candy. 
Four cups of water, two and a half cups of fine white sugar, four 
spoonfuls of vinegar, a piece of butter as large as an egg; boil till 
thick about three-quarters of an hour. Just before removing stir 
in one cup desiccated cocoanut and lay in small flat cakes on but- 
tered plates to cool and harden, 

Chocolate Caramels. 
One cup of sweet milk, one cup of molasses, half a cup of sugar, 
half a cup of grated chocolate, a piece of butter the size of a walnut; 
stir constantly, and let it boil until it is thick; then turn it out on 
to buttered plates, and when it begins to stiffen mark it in squares, 
80 that it will break readily when cold. 



94 CONFECTIONERY. 

Chocolate Cream Drops. 

Mix one-half cup of cream with two of white sugar, boil and stir 
full live minutes; set the dish into another of cold water and stir 
until it becomes hard. Then make into small balls about the size 
of marbles, and with a fork roll each one separately in the choco- 
late, which has in the meantime been put in a bowl over the 
boiling tea kettle and melted; put on brown paper to cool; flavor 
with vanilla if desired. This amount makes about fifty drops. 

Chocolate Kisses. 
One pound of sugar and two ounces of chocolate pounded together 
and finely sifted; mix with the whites of eggs well beaten to a 
froth; drop on buttered paper and bake slowly. 

Fruit Candy. 

One and one-half pounds of granulated sugar, wet with the milk 
of a cocoanut; put into a sauce-pan and let it heat slowly; boil 
rapidly five minutes, then add one cocoanut grated very fine, and 
boil ten minutes longer, stirring constantly. Try a little on a cold 
plate, and if it forms a firm paste when cool, take from the fire. 
Pour part of it out on to a lai'ge tin lined with greased paper; then 
add to the remaining cream one-fourth pound of stoned raisins, 
one-half pound of blanched almonds, one pint of j^ecans, one-half 
cup of chopped walnuts. Pour over the other cream, and when 
cool cut into bars and squares. 

HicKORY-NUT Candy. 

Boil two cups of sugar, one-half cup of water, without stirring, 

until thick enough to spin a thread; flavor; set the dish off into 

cold Avater; stir quickly until white, then stir in one cup of hicko-. 

ry-nut m^ats; turn into a flat tin, and when cool cut into squares. 

HoREnouND Candy. 

Prepare a strong decoction, by boiling two ounces of the dried 
herb in a pint and a half of \.ater for about half an hour; strain 



CONFECTIONERY. 95 

this, and add three and one-half pounds of brown sugar; boil over 
a hot fire until it reaches the requisite degree of hardness, when it 
may be poured out in flat tin trays, previously well greased, and 
marked into sticks or squares with a knife, as it becomes cool 
enough to retain its shape. 

Lemon-Cream Candy. 

Six pounds best white sugar, strained juice of two lemons, grated 
peel of one lemon, one teaspoonful of soda, three cups clear water. 
Steep the grated peel of the lemon in the juice for an hour; strain, 
squeezing the cloth hard to get out all the strength. Pour the 
water over the sugar, and,' when nearly dissolved, set it over the 
fire and bring to a boil. Stew steadily until it hardens in cold 
water; stir in the lemon; boil one minute; add the dry soda, 
stirring in well; and, instantly, turn out upon broad, shallow dishes. 
Pull as soon as you can handle it, into long white ropes, and cut 
into lengths when brittle. 

Vanilla cream candy is made in the same way, with the substitu- 
tion of vanilla flavoring for the lemon-juice and peel. 

Lemon and Peppermint Drops. 

Take of dry granulated sugar a convenient quantity; place it in a 
saucepan having a lip from wliich the contents may be poured or 
dropped. Add a very little water, just enough to make, Avith the 
sugar, a stiff paste; two ounces of water to a pound of sugar is 
about the right proportion. Set it over the fire and allow it to 
nearly boil, keeping it continually stirred. It must not actually 
come to a full boil, but must be removed from the fire just as soon 
as the bubbles, denoting that the boiling point is reached, begin to 
rise. Allow the syrup to cool a little, stirring all the time; add 
strong essence of peppermint or lemon to suit the taste, and drop 
on tins or sheets of smooth white paper. The dropping is per- 
formed by tilting the vessel slightly, so that the contents will run 
out, and with a small piece of stiff wire the drops may be stroked 
off on to the tins or papei*. They should be kept in a warm place 



96 CONFECTIONERY. 

for a few hout-s to dry. In the season of fruits, delicious drops 
may be made by substituting the juice of fresh fruits, as straw- 
berry, raspberry, lemon, pineaj^ple or banana, or any of these 
essences may be used. 

Molasses Candy. 

Into a kettle holding at least four times the amount of molasses 
to be used, pour a convenient quantity of Porto Rico molasses; 
place over a slow fire and boil for a half hour, stirring all the time 
to diminish as much as possible the increase of bulk caused by boil- 
ing, and checking the fire or removing the kettle if there is any 
danger of the contents running ovei\ Be very careful not to let 
the candy burn, especially near the close of the boiling. When a 
little, dropped in cold water, becomes quickly hard and snaps apart 
like a pipestem, add a teaspoonful of carbonate of soda, free from 
lumps, to every two quarts; stir quickly to mix, and pour on greased 
platters to cool. When the candy is sufficiently cool to handle 
without burning the hands, it is pulled back and forth, the hands 
being rubbed with a little butter (do not use flour) to prevent the 
candy from sticking to them. The more the candy is worked, the 
lighter it will be in color. 

WiiiTK Molasses Candy. 

Take two pounds of refined sugar (termed by grocers " Coffee 
C "), one pint of pure sugar-house syrup, and one pint best Porto 
Rico or New Orleans molasses. Boil together until it hardens, as 
above described, add one teaspoonful of carbonate of soda, and 
work in the usual manner. 

Peanut Candy. 

One scant pint of molasses, four quarts of peanuts, measured 
before they are shelled, two tablespoonfuls of vanilla, one teaspoon- 
ful of soda. Boil the molasses until it hardens in cold water, when 
dropped from the spoon. Stir in the vanilla, then the soda, dry. 
Lastly, the shelled peanuts. Turn out into sliallow pans well 
buttered, and press it down smooth v/ith a wooden spoon. 



CONFECTIONERY. 97 

We can heartily recommend the candy made according to this 
receipt as being unrivaled of its kind. 

The molasses should be good in quality, and the peanuts freshly 
roasted. 

Pop-Corn Balls. 

Add one ounce of white gum arable to a half pint of water, and 
let it stand until dissolved. Strain, add one pound of refined sugar 
and boil until when cooled it becomes very thick, so much so as. 
to be stirred with difficulty. To ascertain when it has reached this; 
point, a little may be cooled in a saucer. A convenient quantity of 
the freshly popped corn having been placed in a milk pan, enough 
of the warm syrupy candy is poured on and mixed by stirring, to 
cause the kernels to adhere in a mass, portions of which may be 
formed into balls by pressing them into the proper shape with the 
hands. Ordinary molasses, or sugar-house syrup may be used as 
well, by being boiled to the same degree, no gum being necessary 
with these materials. Corn cake is prepared in a similar manner. 
This mass, while warm, is put into tins and pressed by rollers into 
thin sheets, which are afterwards divided into small, square cakes. 

Taffy. 

Either of the two kinds of molasses candy, if poured from the 
kettle into tin trays without working, will produce a fine plain 
taffy. It may be left in one sheet the size of the tray, or, wheiL 
slightly cold, may be marked off in squares. 

Efferton Taffy, 
This is a favorite English confection. To make it take three- 
pounds of the best brown sugar and boil with one and one-half 
pints of water, until the candy hardens in cold water. Then add 
one-half pound of sweet-flavored, fresh butter, which will soften 
the candy. Boil a few minutes until it again hardens and pour it 
into trays. Flavor with lemon if desired, 
r 



S8 CONFECTIONERY. 

Vinegar Candy. 
Three cups white sugar; one and one-half cups clear vinegar; stir 
the sugar into the vinegar until thoroughly dissolved; heat to a 
gentle boil, and stew uncovered until it ropes from the tip of the 
spoon. Turn out upon broad dishes, well buttered, and cool, and, 
as soon as it can be handled, pull. It can be pulled beautifully- 
white and porous. 

Vinegar Candy, No. 2. 

To one quart of good New Orleans molasses, add one cup of 

■good cider vinegar; boil until it reaches the point where a little 

dropped into cold water becomes very hard and brittle. Pour into 

shallow platters until cool enough to be handled, and form into a 

large roll, which may be drawn down to any size and cut off in 

^sticks. 

Walnut Candy. 

The meats of hickory-nuts, English walnuts, or black walnuts 
may be used according to preference in that regard. After 
removal from the shells in as large pieces as practicable, they are 
to be placed on the bottoms of tins, previously greased, to tlie 
depth of about a half inch. Next, boil two pounds of brown sugar, 
a half pint of water, and one gill of good molasses until a portion 
of the mass hardens when cooled. Pour the hot candy on the 
meats and allow it to remain until hard. 

Meringues. 
Take one pound of powdered sugar, and add to it the beaten 
■whites of eight eggs (slowly), until it forms a stiff froth; fill a 
tablespoon with the ])aste, and smooth it over with another spoon 
to the desired shape; sift a little sugar over a sheet of paper, drop 
the meringues about two inches apart; dust a little sugar over 
them, and bake in a quick oven with the door left open part way, 
,so they can be continually watched; when fawn colored, take 
them out; remove them from the paper with a thin knife; scrape 
out of each a little of the soft part. They may be neatly arranged 



CONFECTIONERY. 99 

around a dish of whipped cream, or filled with ice cream. If 
Tsrhipped cream is used, tliey would be improved by the addition of 
a, little bright jelly inside each meringue. 

Cream Meehstgues. 
Four eggs (the whites only), whipped stiff, with one pound pow- 
dered sugar, lemon or vanilla flavoring. When very stiff, heap in 
the shape of half an egg upon stiff letter-paper lining the bottom of 
your baking pan. Have them half an inch apart. Do not shut the 
oven door closely, but leave space through which you can watch 
them. When they are a light yellow-brown, take them out and 
■cool quickly. Slip a thin bladed knife under each; scoop out the 
soft inside and fill with cream whipped as for charlotte russe. They 
are very fine. The oven should be very hot. 

Macaroox. 
Pound in a mortar one pound of blanched sweet almonds and one 
and one-fourth pounds of lump sugar until they are fine; then add 
one-half pound of corn starch, one-fourth pound of rice or wheat 
-flour; mix into a fine smooth batter with the whites of about eight 
eggs. Drop the mixture in small quantities through a cornucopia 
on a sheet of paper, dust with sugar, and bake in a steady oven. 
They should be baked a fawn color. 

Bachelor Buttoxs. 
Rub two ounces of butter into five ounces of flour; add five 
ounces of white sugar; add one beaten egg; flavor; roll into small 
l)alls with the hands; sprinkle with sugar. Bake on tins covered 
ivith buttered paper. 

Corn Starch Rateffes. 
One-fourth pound sweet and the same of bitter almonds, one-half 
pound corn starch, one-fourth pound of rice flour, one and one- 
fourth pounds of pulverized sugar, the whites of eight eggs. Pro- 
ceed the same as for macaroons, only drop one-fourth the size. 
Do not dust with sugar, and bake in a hotter oven. 



CHAPTER VL 

CATSUPS. 

^OOD -home-made catsup is a most valuable addition to the 
store-room, and a good housekeeper will always look with 
pride upon it as it stands upon the shelves in closely-corked 
bottles, neatly labeled, feeling, as she may, that she possesses close 
at hand the means of imparting a delicious flavor to her sauces and 
gravies without at the same time placing any deleterious compound 
before her friends. Though excellent preparations are no doubt 
sold by respectable dealers, the superiority of catsup when made at 
home is undisputed, and the comfortable certainty attending its use 
is so great, that we would earnestly recommend every lady who has 
the time and opportunity to do so, to superintend personally the 
manufacture of that which is used in the kitchen. It is not well, 
however, to make a very large quantity, as it is rarely improved by- 
being long kept. Catsup should be stored in a cool, dry place; the 
corks should be covered with resin, and the liquid should be exam- 
ined frequently, and if there are the slightest signs of fermentation 
or mold, it should be re-boiled with a few pepper-corns, and put 
into fresh, dry bottles. Always select perfect fruit, and cook in a 
porcelain-lined kettle. 

Currant Catsup. 

Boil five pints of ripe currant'^ in one pint of vinegar until soft; 
strain all through a sieve, then add three pints of sugar, and one 
tablespoonful each of cinnamon and allspice; boil about one hour. 

100 



CATSUPS. ioi 

CucuiLBEii Catsup. 
Take one-linlf "bushel of full-grown cucumbers, peel and chop 
them, sprinkle them with salt, and put them in a sieve and let them 
?«tand over night; add two dozen onions, cut up small, one-half 
pound white mustard seed, one-half pound of black mustard seed, 
two ounces of black pepper, ground. Mix well with the best cider 
-vinegar, ma*king it the consistency of thick catsup, and fill your 
jars, tying up closely. It requires no cooking. 

GOOSEEEKRY CaTSUP. 

Ten pounds of gooseberries, six jjounds of sugar, one quart of 
Tinegar, three tablespoonfuls cinnamon, one tablespoonful each of 
allspice and cloves. Mash the gooseberries thoroughly; scald and 
put through the colander; add the sugar and spices, and boil fifteen 
minutes, then add the vinegar; bottle immediately. Ripe grapes 
may be prepared in the same manner. 

Plum Catsup. 
To three pounds of fruit put one and three-fourths pounds of 
sugar, one tablespoonful of cloves, one tablespoonful of cinnamon, 
one tablespoonful of pepper, a very little salt; scald the plums and 
put them through a colander; then add sugar and spices, and boil 
to the right consistency. 

Tomato Catsup. 

Take sound ripe tomatoes, slice and cook until done enough fo 
put through a sieve; then to every gallon of the pulp and juice add 
•one cup of chopped onion, one-half cup of black pepper, four pods 
of red pepper, cut fine, one-half cup of ground ginger and mustard 
mixed, one ounce celery seed, one-half cup of allspice, nutmeg and 
•cinnamon, mixed, one-half teaspoonful cloves, two cups of sugar, 
and sufficient salt to taste distinctly, one pint strong cider vinegar; 
])ut all together and cook two hours, or longer if not thick enough. 
It must not be thin or watery. Bottle and seal while hot, and 
in a good cellar it will keep two years. 



102 CATSUPS. 

Tomato Catsup, No. 2. 
One bushel of good ripe tomatoes, one-half gallon of cider vine- 
gar, one-fourth pound of allspice, two ounces of cloves, three 
tablespoonfuls of black pepper, six large onions or tAvo heads of 
garlic, one pint of salt, four large red peppers; cook thoroughly, 
and strain through a sieve, then boil till it is thick enough, and 
add the vinegar. 



CHAPTER VII. 

DESSERTS. 

t Puddings. 

[THOUT pretending to make a skillful cook by book, we 
believe that any intelligent beginner may compound a good 
Xi^ pudding by attending to the following simple rules and 
plain directions: Attention is all that is required, and a little 
manual dexterity in turning the pudding out of the mold or elotli. 
Let the several ingredients be each good and fresh of its kind, as. 
one bad article, particularly eggs, will taint the Avhole composition,. 
Have the molds and pudding cloths carefully washed when used,, 
the cloths with wood ashes, and dried in the open air. Lay them 
aside sweet and thoroughly dry. Pudding ought to be put into 
plenty of boiling water, which must be kept on a quick boil; or, 
baked, in general in a sharp but not scorching oven. A pudding in 
which there is much bread must be tied loosely, to allow room for 
swelling. A batter pudding should be tied up firmly. Molds 
should be quite full, well buttered and covered with a fold or two> 
of paper floured and buttered. Eggs for puddings must be used' 
in greater quantities when of small size. The yolks and whites, if 
the pudding is wanted particularly white and nice, should be; 
strained after being separately well beaten. A little salt is neces- 
sary for all potato, bean, or pease puddings, and all puddings in 
which there is suet or meat, as it improves the flavor. The several 
ingredients, after being well stirred together, should in general 
have a little time to stand, that the flavors may blend. A frequent 
fault of boUed puddings, which ai-e often solid bodies, is. being 

103 



104 DESSERTS. 

underdone. Baked puddings are as often scorched. Puddings 
may be steamed with advantage, placing the mold or basin in the 
:steamer and keeping the water boiling under it. When the pud- 
ding-cloths are to be used, dip them in hot water, and dredge them 
with flour; the molds must be buttered. When a pudding begins 
to set, stir it up in the dish, if it is desired that the fruit, etc., 
should not settle to the bottom; and, if boiled, turn over the cloth 
in the pot for the same reason, and also to prevent it sticking to the 
hottom, on which a plate may be laid as a preventive. The time 
of boiling must be according to size and solidity. When the pud- 
ding is taken out of the pot, dip it quickly into cold water. Set it 
in a basin of its size; it will then more readily separate from the 
cloth without breaking. Remember that sugar, butter, and suet 
become liquids in boiling; it is from their excess that puddings 
often break. Be, therefore, rather sparing of sugar; for if you 
have much syrup you must have more eggs and flour, which make 
puddings heavy. It is often the quantity of sugar that makes 
tapioca and arrowroot, boiled plain, troublesome to keep in shape 
when molded. Rice or other grain puddings must not be allowed 
to boil in the oven before setting, or the ingredients will separate 
and never set; so never put them in a very hot oven. As a rule, 
we may assume that slich flavoring ingredients as lemon — grate or 
juice, vanilla and cocoanut, are more admired in modern puddings 
than cinnamon, cloves and nutmeg. Care must be taken to mix 
liatter puddings smoothly. Let the dried flour be gradually mixed 
with a little of the milk, as in making starch, and afterwards, in 
nice cookery, strain it through a coarse sieve. Puddings are lighter 
boiled than baked. Raisins, prunes, and damsons, for puddings 
jnust be carefully stoned; or. Sultanas may be used in place of 
other raisins; currants must be picked and plunged in hot water, 
rubbed in a floured cloth, and plumped and dried before the fire; 
almonds must be blanched and sliced; and in mixing grated bread, 
pounded biscuit, etc., with milk, pour the milk on them Avhile hot, 
and cover the vessel for an hour, which is both better and easier 



DESSERTS. 105 

than boiling. Suet must be quite fresh and free from fiber. Mut- 
ton suet for puddings is lighter than beef; but marrow, when it 
can be obtained, is richer than either. A baked pudding, for com- 
pany, has often a paste border, or a garnishing of blanched and 
sliced almonds about it, but these borders are merely matters of 
ornament; if molded, puddings may also be garnished in various 
ways, as with bits of currant jelly. The best seasoning for plain 
batter puddings are extracts of orange or lemon, or orange-flower 
w^ater. The sweetness and flavor of pudding must, in most cases, 
be determined by individual tastes. Sugar can be added at table. 

To TonsTG Housek:eepers. 

All young housekeepers should learn as soon as possible how to 
prepare dishes for dessert which can be made on very short notice, 
that they may not be annoyed in the event of unexpected company 
to dinner. In summer, fruit answers every purpose,'.but at other 
seasons, and particularly if the first course is not very elaborate, 
she will need to have something more substantial. A delicious 
pudding can be made in a few minutes by taking one pint of milk 
and stirring into it half a cup of cassava, half a cup of cocoanut, two 
eggs, a little butter, salt and sugar to taste; flavor vrith vanilla. 
Cook this as you would boiled custard. When cooked and put in 
the dish in which it is to be served, pour over the top the white of 
one egg beaten to a stiff froth, with a tablespoonful of pulverized 
sugar added. Set it in the oven for a short time to brown. This 
may be eaten warm or cold, with jelly or preserves or without. 
Another dish which is easily made and which is economical as well 
as palatable, is to take slices of cake which are a little dry and pour 
over them while hot some boiled custard; cover the dish quickly, 
and the hot custard will steam the cake sufficiently. Raisin cake 
steamed and served with some pudding sauce is good. Velvet 
cream, to be eaten with cake, is made in this way: Beat the whites 
of four eggs to a stiff froth; add two tablespoonfuls of sugar, two 
tablespoonfuls of currant jelly, two tablespoonfuls of raspberry 



106 DESSERTS. 

jam; heat all well together; cream may he added or not, as yotc 
choose. Oranges cut up, with sugar and grated cocoanut sprinkled 
over them are also nice for cake. 

Arroavroot PuDDi>fa. 

One quart milk, three and one-half tablespoonfuls arrowroot, four 
eggs, one cup sugar, one teaspoonful each of extract nutmeg and 
cinnamon. 

Boil the milk, add the arrowroot dissolved in a little water,, 
and the sugar; let reboil; take from the fire; beat in the eggs,. 
whipped a little, and the exti'acts; pour in a well-buttered earthen- 
ware dish, and bake in a quick oven one-half an hour; a few minutes 
before taking from the oven, sift two tablespoonfuls sugar over it,, 
and set back to glaze. This pudding is generally eaten cold. 

Almond Pudding. 
Two iigg muffins, one cup almonds, blanched — pouring boiling 
water on them till the skin slips easily off — and pounded to a fine 
paste, one and one-half cups sugar, four eggs, one and one-half 
pints milk, one teaspoonful each of extract bitter almonds and rose. 
Cut off the top crust from muffins very thin ; steep them in the 
milk; beat the yolks of the eggs and sugar with the almonds, then 
add the steeped muffins squeezed a little dry; dilute with the milk, 
add the extract, and put it thus prepared into a well-buttered 
earthenware dish; then stir gently in the whites beaten to a dry- 
froth, and bake in a moderately quick oven about one-half hour. 

Pie-Plant Charlotte. 

Wash and cut the pie-plant into small pieces, cover the bottom 
of a pudding dish with a layer of pie-plant and sugar, then a layer 
of bread crumbs and bits of butter, or thin slices of bread nicely 
buttered, and so on until the dish is full. Bake three-quarters of 
an hour in a moderate oven. Allow a pound of sugar to a pound 
of fruit. If preferred, turn over the charlotte a boiled custard 
when ready for the table. 



DESSERTS. 107 

Croquettes of Rice. 
Put a quarter of a pound of rice, one pint of milk, three table- 
spoonfuls of finely-sifted sugar, a piece of butter the size of a small 
nut and the thin i-ind of a lemon, into a saucepan. Any other 
flavoring may be used if preferred. Simmer gently until the rice 
is tender and the milk absorbed. It must be boiled until thick 
and dry, or it will be difficult to mould into croquettes. Beat it 
thoroughly for three or four minutes, then turn it out, and when it 
is cold and still, form it into small balls; dip these in egg, sprinkle 
a few bread crumbs over 
them, and fry them in clar- 
ified fat till they are lightly 
and equally browned. Put 
them on a piece of clean 
blotting paper, to drain the 
fat from them, and serve 
them piled high on the dish. If it can be done without breaking 
them, it is an improvement to introduce a little jam into the middle 
of each one; or jam maybe served with them. Time, about one 
hour to boil the rice, ten minutes to fry the croquettes. 

BOMBES AU Riz. 
Take half a j^int of rice, put in three pints of boiling water, and 
salt. Let it boil fifteen minutes. At the end of that time drain 
the rice, pour on milk enough to cover it; put it on the back pai't 
of the stove, where it will not burn, and let it absorb the milk; piit 
in enough milk to make the rice soft. While the milk is being 
absorbed add four tablespoonfuls of sweetening and one teaspoonf ul 
of flavoring. When the rice is thoroughly tender take it from the 
fire and add the yolks of three eggs. If the rice is not hot enough 
to thicken the eggs, put it back on the fire; stir constantly and let 
it i-emain just long enough to thicken, but don't let it burn. As 
soon as it thickens put it on a dish and rub with salad oil; then put 
it where it will get very cold. As soon as cold it is ready to use 




108 DESSERTS. 

for rice croquets or bonibes. Take a tablespoonful of rice in 
your hand and flatten it; put a plum or any sweetmeat in the 
center, roll the rice round the sweetmeat, roll in cracker dust, dip 
in egg, then roll in the cracker dust again. Fry in smoking hot 
lard and, serve hot or cold. 

Gkeen Corn Pudding. 
A most delicious accompaniment to a meat course. Take one 
quart of milk, five eggs, two tablespoonfuls melted butter, one 
tablespoonful white sugar, and a dozen large ears green corn; grate 
the corn from the cob; beat the whites and the yolks of the eggs 
separately; put the corn and yolks together, stir hard and add the 
butter, then the milk gradually, beating all the while, next the 
sugar, and a little salt, lastly the whites. Bake slow at first, cover- 
ing the dish for an hour; remove the cover and brown nicely. 

Cottage Pudding. 

One cup milk, two of flour, three teaspoonfuls baking powder, 
two tablespoonfuls melted butter, one egg, one cup of sugar. Steam 
three-quarters, or bake one hour. Serve with sauce. 

Cranberry Roll. 

Stew a quart of cranberries in just water enough to keep them 
from burning. Make very sweet, strain, and cool. Make a paste, 
and when the cranberry is cold, spread it on the paste about an inch 
thick. Roll it, tie it close in a flannel cloth, boil two hours and 
serve with a sweet sauce. Stewed apples or other fruit may be used 
in the same way. 

Delmonico Pudding. 

One quart scalded milk, three tablespoonfuls corn starch, moist- 
ened with a little cold milk; stir into the boiling milk the yolks of 
six eggs well beaten, four tablespoonfuls sugar; stir all together. 
Take it off the fire, flavor it, and put into a pudding dish. Then 
beat the whites of the eggs to a stiff froth, spread over the top, and 
brown in the oven. 



DESSERTS. 109 

Eve's Pudding. 
Take equal quantities of flour, fresh butter, and sugar, six ounces^ 
of each; beat the butter to a cream, and beat the sugar and flour 
into it. Separate the yolks from the whites of four eggs, beat them 
until light, and add the yolks first, then the whites, to the batter, 
and lastly half a dozen almonds, blanched and pounded, and the 
grated rind of a lemon. Beat well, and fill small cups to about 
half; then set before the fire to rise. In five minutes put them into 
the oven and bake for half an hour. 

Fig Pudding. 

Half a pound figs, half cup suet, half a pound bread crumbs, one 
tablespoonful sugar, three eggs, one cup milk; chop the suet and 
figs fine, add some cinnamon and nutmeg, and a glass of wine, if 
you choose, or leave it out if you prefer. Boil it three hours — 
sauce. 

Fruit Pudding. 

Take one cup each sweet milk, suet (minced), raisins, currants, 
and molasses. Stiffen with bread crumbs and a little flour, having 
added three teaspoonfuls baking powder to the flour and crumbs; 
boil or steam till done. This pudding is equally as good the second 
day as the first. 

Baked Farina Pudding. 

Stir into a quart of milk when boiling one-half pound farina, cook 
it five minutes and set it aside to cool, meanwhile stir four ounces 
of butter to a cream, grate the rind of a lemon and add the yolk of 
six eggs, one cup each of sugar, raisins, and currants, and mix all 
well together with the cooked farina. Beat the whites of the eggs 
to a froth, stir it into the batter, and bake slowly for an hour. 

Plain Fruit Pudding. 
Take one and a half cups of flour, one cup of bread crumbs, one 
cup of raisins, half a cup of currants, two nutmegs, one cup of suet 
chopped fine, two tablespoonfuls of sugar, four eggs, a wine glass 



110 DESSERTS. 

of brandy, a wine glass of syrup, and a little milk if necessary. Mix 
very thoroughly; tie it in a cloth as tight as possible, and boil fast 
for five or six hours. Serve with wine sauce. 

Florentine Pudding. 
Put a quart of milk into your pan, let it come to a boil; mix 
smoothly three tables})oonfuls of corn starch and a little cold milk; 
add the yolks of three eggs beaten, half a cup of sugar, flavor w'ith 
vanilla, lemon, or anything your fancy suggests; stir into the 
scalding milk, continue stirring till of the consistency of starch (ready 
for use), then put into the pan or dish you wish to serve it in; beat 
the whites of the eggs with a cup of pulverized sugar, and spread over 
the top; place in the oven a few minutes, till the frosting is a pretty 
brown. Can be eaten with cream, or is good enough without. For 
a change, you can bake in cujjs. 

Gelatine Pudding. 
One ounce gelatine, one pint cold milk; set on range, and let 
• come slowly to a boil, stirring occasionally; separate the yolks and 
whites of six fresh eggs; beat the yolks well and stir slowly into 
hot milk; add half a pound of granulated sugar; when quite cold, 
stir in a quart of whipped cream; flavor with vanilla and lemon 
extract mixed; have the whites of the eggs beaten very sti£f, and 
stir in the last thing; pack on ice. 

Ginger Pudding. 

One egg, one cup of molasses, half a cup butter, half a cup of 
fruit, half a cup of hot water, one tablespoonful of ginger, one 
teaspoonful of soda. Stir stiff and steam one hour. 

Sauce for Ginger Padding. — One Qgg, one cup sugar, one-third 
-of a cup of butter, one tablespoonful of flour, one and one-half 
lablespoonfuls of lemon. Pour boiling water in and make like thin 
-starch. 

Honey Comb Pudding. 

Three cups flour, one cup beef suet, one cup milk, one cup 



DESSERTS. Ill 

molasses, one cup raisins, currants or wliortleberries in the season, 
one teaspoonful soda, a little salt. Boil or steam three hours — 
sauce. 

HUCKLEBEKRY PuDDING. 

One cup sugar, one-half cup butter, two of milk, two eggs, two 
cups of berries, one teaspoonful of soda, two of cream of tartar, salt. 
Mix stiff as gingerbread. Boil two hours in a tin jDail. Serve with 
sauce. 

Hen's Nest. 

Make blanc mange, pour in egg shells and set to cool; when cold, 
break the egg shells, place in glass dish, cut strips of lemon peel 
and let boil in syrup of sugar and water till tender, and sprinkle on 
the egg shapes, and make custard and pour over the nest. 

Indian Pudding. 
Stir a pint of com meal into a quart of boiling milk; melt four 
•ounces of butter; mix it first with a pint of molasses, and then, 
very gradually, with the meal. Flavor with nutmeg and grated 
lemon peel, ol* cinnamon, and as soon as the mixture has cooled, 
add, stirring briskly, six well-beaten eggs. Butter a dish and bake 
at once. 

Apple Pudding. 
A loaf of stale bread, steamed twenty minutes before dinner, 
sliced, spread with stewed apple, and a little butter, strewn with 
.sugar and browned lightly in a quick oven, makes as good a pud- 
•ding as any one would like, with either hard or liquid sauce. 

Apple Batter Pudding. 
Six or eight fine juicy apples, j^ared and cored, one quart of milk, 
ten tablespoonfuls of flour, six eggs, beaten very light, one table- 
spoonful butter — melted, one saltspoonful of salt, one-half tea- 
spoonful soda, one teaspoonful cream of tartar. Set the apples 
close together, in the baking dish; put in enough cold Avater to half 
cover them, and bake, closely covered, until the edges are clear, but 



112 DESSERTS. 

not until tlioy begin to break. Drain oflf the water, and let the 
fruit get cold before pouring over them a batter made of the ingre- 
dients enumerated above. Bake in a quick oven. Serve in the 
baking dish, and eat with sauce. 

Apple Float. 
To one quart of apples partially stewed and well mashed, put the 
whites of three eggs well beaten, and four heaping tablespoonf uls 
loaf sugar; beat them together fifteen minutes, and eat with rich 
milk and nutmeg. 

Apple Slump. 

One quart flour sifted with three teaspoonfuls baking powder; 
shorten with one teaspoonful butter rubbed into the flour. Mix 
with cold milk or water, the same as for biscuit. Put two 
quarts of pared, sliced or quartered apples with one pint of water 
into the dish in which the slump is to be cooked. Roll the crust 
about an inch thick, cut into quarters and with it cover the apples 
in the dish; then cover the whole with a close fitting cover, and 
boil or steam till done. Take out on a platter and grate nutmeg- 
over the apple. Serve with a sweet sauce or sugar and cream. 

Baked Apple Dumplings. 
To one quart flour add two heaping teaspoonfuls baking powder, 
and the usual quantity of salt. Thoroughly mix while dry and 
sift. Then take one tablespoonful lard and one tablespoonf ul' but- 
ter and chop them into the flour prepared as above. Then mix 
with sweet milk to a thin dough, just stiff enough to handle^ 
Roll it out half an inch thick and cut into squares. 

Apples Surprised. 
Peel, core, and slice about five nice cooking apples, sprinkle the 
slices with a spoonful of flour, one of grated bread, and a little 
sugar. Have some lard quite hot in a small- stew-pan, put the slices 
of apple in it, and fry of a light yellow; when all are done, take 
a piece of butter the size of a walnut, and a good spoonful of grated 



DESSERTS. 11^ 

tread, a spoonful of sugar, and a cup of milk; put into the pan, 
and when they boil up throw in the apple slices, hold the whole 
over the fire for two minutes, when it will be ready to serve. 

Amber Pudding. 
Six eggs beaten light, one cup of cream, creamed with one-half 
cup of butter, juice of a lemon, and half the grated peel, a good 
pinch of nutmeg, puff paste. Mix sugar, butter, eggs, together- 
put into a custard kettle, set in hot water, and stir until it thickens.. 
Stir in lemon and nutmeg, and let it get cold. Put a strip of paste- 
around the edge of a pie plate; print it prettily; pour in the cold 
mixture, and bake in a steady, not too hot oven. Eat cold. 

Ambrosia. 
Eight fine oranges, peeled and sliced, one-half grated cocoanut, 
one-half cup of powdered sugar. Arrange slices of orange in a 
glass dish; scatter grated cocoanut thickly over them; sprinkle this 
lightly with sugar, and cover with another layer of orange. Fill 
the dish in this order, having a double quantity of cocoanut and 
sugar at top. Serve soon after it is prepared. 

Apple Omelette. 

Six large pippins or other large tart apples, one tablespoonful of 
hutter, three eggs, six tablespoonfuls of white sugar, nutmeg to the 
taste, and one teaspoonful of rosewater; pare, core, and stew the 
apples, as for sauce; beat them very smooth while hot, adding 
butter, sugar, and flavoring; when quite cold, add the eggs, beaten 
separately very light; put in the whites last and pour into a deep 
bake-dish previously warmed and well buttered. Bake in a mod- 
erate oven until it is delicately browned. Eat warm — not hot. A. 
wholesome dish for children. 

Apple Charlotte. 

Butter your pudding dish, line it with bread buttered on both 
sides; put a thick layer of apples, cut in thin slices, sugar, a little 
cinnamon and butter on top, then another layer of bread, apples. 



114 DESSERTS. 

sugar, cinnamon and butter last. Bake slowly one and a half 
hours, keeping the pan covered until half an hour before serving; 
let the apples brown on top. 

Baxcroft Pudding. 
One tablespoonful melted butter, one cup sugar, one egg. well 
beaten, one pint flour, two teaspoonf uls cream of tartar, one of soda, 
■one cup sweet milk; beat well and bake thirty minutes. 

Bread Pudding. 
One pint fine bread crumbs to one quart of milk, one cup sugar, 
yolks of four eggs, well beaten, grated rind of lemon, piece of 
butter size of an egg. Don't let it bake till watery. Whip the 
-whites of, the eggs with one cup sugar to a stiff froth, and put into 
this the juice of the lemon; spread over the pudding a layer of 
jelly or other sweemeat; then spread the whites of eggs over this, 
and replace in the oven and bake lightly. 

Banana and Apple Tart. 

Make crust of fine flour and fresh butter. Make little crust, but 
make it good. Slice apples fine and put in dish with three or four 
bananas sliced, only adding sugar and perhaps a little syrup, if you 
have got it. Cover crust over fruit; brush a little melted butter 
over top, strew white sugar on and bake twenty minutes or more, 
as required. 

Bird's Nest Pudding. 

Pare, quarter and core nice tart apples; butter a pie tin and slice 
the apples in it; make a batter of one cup cream (sour and not very 
rich), one teaspoonful soda, one egg, a little salt, and flour enough 
to make a stiff batter. Pour this over the apples and bake; when 
■done turn bottom side up and spread thickly with good sweet 
iDutter and sugar. To be eaten warm. 

Bird's Nest Pudding, No. 2. 
Take eight or ten nice apples, pare whole and core; place in a 



DESSEirrs. 115 

pudding dish; fill the cores with sugar and nutmeg. Make a cus- 
tard of five eggs to one quart of milk, sweeten to taste; pour this 
•over the apples and bake half an hour. 

Cabinet Pudding. 
In making it use one pint of milk, six eggs, and a quantity of 
stale cake — stale bread could be used. The tin must be carefully- 
greased with butter, and around the inside place bits of fruit. For 
this, citron, cherries, currants, or any kind of dried fruit, could be 
used. Over this is put a layer of light colored cake, sponge cake 
perhaps, and the center is filled to near the top of the dish with 
Ijroken up pieces. Upon this is poured the custard made of the 
eggs and milk thoroughly beaten up and flavored to suit the taste. 
The dish is then placed in a kettle of boiling water, the water 
coming up within about two-thirds of the way to the top. The pot 
is covered and boiled until done thoroughly. 

Cream Batter Pudding. 

Take one cup of sour cream and rub with one cup of flour until 
smooth; then pour in one cup of sweet milk, three eggs — the yolks 
and whites beaten separately, a little salt and two-thirds of a tea- 
spoonful of soda. Bake in a quick oven. To be eaten with cream 
and sugar. 

Cracker Pudding. 

FoUr crackers pounded and sifted, small piece of butter, one and 
one-half pints milk, scalded and poured on the cracker and butter, 
four eggs, sugar to sweeten, nutmeg. 

Chooot-atb Pttddttstg. 
One quart of sweet milk, three ounces grated chocolate. Scald 
the milk and chocolate together; when cool, add the yolks of five 
-eggs and one cup sugar. Bake about twenty-five minutes; beat 
the whites from the top; brown in the oven; eat cold. 
Charlotte Pudding. 
ilemove the crust from a loaf of bread, dip in milk, and spread 



116 DESSERTS. 

the slices with butter. Pare and cut apples very tliin. Lay the 
bread in a buttered dish, spread over the aj^ples, sweeten and flavor 
Avith the juice and grated rind of a lemon. Bake till the apples are 
tendei". 

Cottage Pudding. 

Warm two and one-half tablespoonfuls butter, stir in a cup of sugar 
and two eggs well beaten, two teaspoonfuls cream of tartar in one 
pint flour, one teaspoonful soda dissolved in one cup milk, flavor 
with nutmeg or lemon. Bake three-quarters of an hour and serve 
hot with sauce. 

CusTAKD Bread Puddiistg. 

Two cups flne dry crumbs; one quart of milk; five eggs, beaten: 
light; one tablespoonful corn starch; one teaspoonful of salt, and. 
one-half teaspoonful of soda, dissolved in milk; flavor to taste_ 
Soak the crumbs in the milk, and heat in a custard kettle to a boil- 
Add the corn starch wet with cold milk, cook one minute, turn out 
and beat hard. When smooth and almost cold, whip in the yolksj, 
the flavoring, lastly, the whites. Boil in a buttered mold an hour 
and a half. Eat hot with SAveet sauce. It is excellent. 

CocoAXL'T Pudding. 
Take suflicient stale bread to make a pudding, the size yon 
require; pour boiling water over it. After it is soaked well, take a 
fork and see that no lumps of bread remain; then add half a cup of 
grated cocoanut, make a custard of one quart of milk, and four 
eggs, flavor with nutmeg (of course you will sweeten it with white 
sugar) ; pour over and bake immediately. 

Cream Pudding. 
One quart of milk; one cup of hot boiled rice well cooked but 
not broken; one cup of sugar; one heaping tablespoonful of com. 
starch ; five eggs ; one-fourth teaspoonful of cinnamon and the same 
of grated lemon peel. Heat the milk, stir in the corn starch wet 
up with cold milk; then the beaten yolks and sugar. Add to these 
the heaping cup of boiled rice. Stir until it begins to thicken, add 



DESSERTS. 117 

the seasoning, and pour into a buttered bake-disli. Bake until well 
*'set;" spread with a meringue of the whites and a little sugar, 
made very stiff. When this has colored lightly, take from the 
oven. Make on Saturday, and set on ice until Sunday. The colder 

it is the better. 

Crumb Pudding. 

Three egg yolks, one ounce of sugar, one ounce of bread crumbs, 
lialf a teaspoonf ul of cinnamon. Beat the egg-yolks, sugar, crumbs, 
and spice in a basin for five minutes. Add the three egg-whites 
beaten to a white snow (not too firm), bake in a buttered shallow- 
tin or dish, and when quite cooled turn into a flat dish with the 
lower side upward, pour over it a glassful of wine boiled with a 
little sugar and spice, and serve while hot. 

Irish Rock. 
A sweet for dessert. Wash the salt from half a pound of butter, 
and beat into it a quarter of a pound of finely powdered sugar; 
blanch a pound of sweet almonds and an ounce of bitter; pound 
these in a mortar, reserving enough of the sweet almonds to spike 
for ornamenting the dish when sent to table; add the butter and 
sugar, with a quarter of a glass of brandy, and pound until smooth 
and white; when, after having become firm, it may be molded 
into a large egg-like shaj^e, and stuck full of almond meats. It 
should be j^laced high on a glass dish, with a decoration of green 
sweetmeats and a sprig of myrtle, or garnish with any green fruits 

or sweetmeats. 

Jelly Rice. 
Mix four ounces of rice flour smoothly and gradually with a quart 
of cold milk; put them into a sauce pan, with a quarter of an ounce 
of clarified isinglass, the thin rind of half a lemon, four bitter 
almonds, blanched and pounded, and four ounces of sugar. Boil 
and stir briskly until quite thick; take out the lemon rind and pour 
the mixture into a damp mold. When it is firmly set, turn it on a 
glass dish, pour melted currant jelly, or any fruit syrup, round it, 
.and send a dish of cream to table with it. 



118 DESSERTS. 

Jelly Custakd. 
One quart of milk, six eggs — whites and yolks, one cup sugar,, 
flavoring to taste, some red and yellow jelly, — raspberry is good for 
one, orange jelly for the other. Make a custard of the eggs, milk 
and sugar; boil gently until it thickens well; flavor when cold; fill 
your custard glasses two-thirds full and heap up with the two kinds 
of jelly — the red upon some, the yellow upon others. 

Jelly Tartlets. 
Make the paste the same as for pies ; line small patty pans, prick- 
ing the paste in the bottom to keep it from puffing too high; bake 

in a quick oven and fill with jelly or jam. 

I 
Kiss Pudding. 

. Beat the yolks of three eggs and half a cup of sugar till light, 

add one and a half tablespoonfuls of corn starch, stir in one pint of 

boiling milk, stir on the stove till thick, pour in a pudding dish;, 

beat the whites of the eggs with half a cup of sugar, spread over 

the top and brown. 

Lemon Pudding. 

One lemon grated, rind and pulp, one cup of sugar, one cup of 

water or sweet milk, four eggs, three tablespoonfuls of melted 

"butter, two tablespoonfuls of flour. Line a deep dish with pastry 

crusts, pour the custard in, bake thirty minutes. Beat the whites. 

of three or four eggs to a stiff froth, sweeten, spread over the top 

of the pudding, and let brown slightly. 

Lemon Trifle. 
Two lemons — juice of both and grated rind of one, one cup 
sherry, one large cup of sugar, one pint cream well sweetened and 
whipped stiff, a little nutmeg. Strain the lemon juice before adding- 
the wine and nutmeg. Strain again and whip gradually into th& 
frothed cream. Serve in jelly glasses and send around cake with, 
it. It should be eaten soon after it is made. 



DESSERTS. 119> 

Lemon Pudding. 

Two ejygs, four tablespoonfuls of flour, one-half cup sweet cream,, 
one cup sweet milk, one tablespoonful butter, one cup sugar, grated 
rind and juice of one-half lemon. Bake in a moderate over. 
Meringue Rice Pudding. 

Take a cup of rice to one pint of water; "v^hen the rice is boiled 
dry add one pint milk, a piece of butter size of an egg, and five 
eggs. Beat the yolks, and grated rind of a lemon, and mix with 
the rice. Butter a dish; pour in the mixture, and bake lightly. 
Beat the whites to a stiff froth; add a cup of sugar and the juice of 
a lemon. When the pudding is nearly done, spread on this frosting^ 
and bake in a slow oven till the top is light brown. 

Malagan Pudding, 
One-third cup rice, one cup sugar, two eggs, one pint milk, half a 
lemon and salt. Soak the rice over night. Beat the yolks of the 
eggs with one tablespoonful of the sugar, and grate in the lemon 
rind; add the rice and milk. Bake one hour. Take the whites of 
the eggs and beat to a stiff froth with the rest of the sugar, then 
add the lemon juice. Pour it over the pudding aftei* it is baked,, 
and brown it in the oven two or thi'ee minutes. To be eaten cold. 

Mitchell Pudding. 
One cup raisins, one cup chopped suet or butter, one cup molasses 
— some like one cup sugar with two spoonfuls molasses better — one 
cup sour milk, one teaspoonful soda, salt, flour to make a stiff 
batter. Steam three or four hours. Sauce. 

Maud's Pudding. 
Six eggs, ten tablespoonfuls flour, butter the size of an egg, salt; 
mix to a light batter with sweet milk and baking powder in flour — 
it will rise high, bake in ten minutes in a quick oven — put into the 
oven just as dinner is being served so it will not fall before coming 
to the table. Serve with cream flavored with lemon or other 
extract to taste. 



120 DESSERTS. 

Orange Pudding, 
'Soak the crumbs of a French roll in milk, let it drain in a colander 
^or half an hour, break it with a spoon in a basin, add two ounces 
of sugar, grated, one ounce of butter, warmed, the yolks of four 
•eggs, the juice of four oranges, the grated rind of one, and finally 
the four egg-whites beaten (not too stiffly) on a plate with a knife, 
and bake in a buttered dish in a quick oven. The pudding will be 
-equally good boiled in a mold for an hour and a half, and served 
with a sweet sauce. 

Christmas Plum Pudding. 
Shred finely three-quarters of a pound of beef suet, and add to it 
.a pinch of salt, one pound and a half of bread crumbs, half a pound 
of flour, three-quarters of a pound of raisins, three-quarters of a 
pound of currants, ])icked and dried, two ounces of candied lemon 
and citron together, and half a large nutmeg. Mix these thor- 
oughly, then add four eggs 
and milk enough to moisten 
it, but not too much or the 
pudding will be heavy. Tie 
in a pudding cloth, well 
^B floured, and boil for five or 
six hours; or, ^ve think bet- 
ter when boiled in a mold> 
which should be well buttered before the mixture is put in. The 
mold should not be quite full and should be covered with one or 
two folds of paper, buttered and floured, and then with a floured 

pudding cloth. 

Plum Pudding. 

One pound of raisins, one of currants, one of suet chopped fine, 
and add three-quarters of a pound of stale bread crumbs, one- 
quarter ])()und of flour, one-quarter pound of brown sugar, rind of 
one lemon (chopped fine), one-half nutmeg grated, five eggs, one- 
half j)ound mixed candied peel, one-half pint of brandy; mix well 




DESSERTS. 121 

the dry ingredients; beat the ogga with the brandy; pour this over 
the other things and thoroughly mix; to be boiled in a basin or 
mold for six hours at the time of making, and six hours when 
wanted for use. 

English Plum Pudding, 

One pound beef suet, three-quarters pound bread crumbs (not 
flour), three-quarters pound raisins, three-quarters pound currants, 
two ounces sweet almonds, with two or three bitter ones, eiarht 
eggs, Avell beaten, one quarter pound citron, a glass of brandy and 
one of sherry wine; grate in one-half of a nutmeg, and sweeten to 
y^our taste; mix all these ingredients well; boil six hours in a bowl 
or cloth. When turned out and ready for the table, pour over 
brandy, set on fire and carry to table surrounded by blue flame. 
This quantity will be dessert for six persons. Two or three times 
the quantity may be made, boiled five hours, and set away for use 
New Year's, Easter, or any intervening birthday. It will be good 
at the end of twelve months. When wanted to use, boil two hours 
longer. 

Plum Pudding. 

One coffeecup of molasses, one coffeecup of milk, one coffeecup 
of chopped suet, one coffeecup of chopped raisins, four coffeecups 
of flour, one teaspoonful of salt, three teaspoonf uls of baking pow- 
der, and one egg. Boil or steam three hours. Flavor with wine, 
or extract of orange, on sauce. 

Rich Plum Pudding, 

Beat up eight eggs, yolks and whites separately, and strain; mix 
them with a pint of thick cream; stir in half a pound of flour and 
half a pound of bread crumbs rubbed through the colander; when 
well mixed beat in one pound of beef suet, chopped very fine, one 
pound of currants, one pound of finely chopped raisins, one pound 
of powdered sugar, two ounces of candied lemon, and two of citron, 
and a nutmeg grated; mix up all with half a pint of brandy or of 
wine; boil in a cloth for six or seven hours. Any of these Christ- 



122 DESSERTS. 

mas 2)uddings may be kept for a month after boiling, if the cloth in 
which they are made be replaced by a clean one, and the puddings 
be hung to the ceiling of a kitchen or any warm store-room; they 
will then be ready for use, and will require only one hour's boiling 
to heat them thoroughly. 

Baked Plum Pltdding. 

One and a half cups of suet, chopped fine, one cup of raisins, stoned, 
one-half cup of milk, one cup of currants, one teaspoonful of 
saleratus, one-half cup of citron, chopped, one-half teaspoonful each 
of spice and salt, one-half cup sugar,' one-half cup of molasses, two 
eggs, flour enough for a stiff batter. , Bake two hours and serve 
with sauce. 

Poor Man's Pudding. 

Take one quart of milk, six eggs, six tablespoonfuls of flour, and 
a little salt. Bake half an hour. Use butter and sugar dip. 

Raisin Puffs. 
Two eggs, one-half cup butter, three teaspoonfuls baking powder, 
two tablespoonfuls sugar, two cups of flour, one of milk, one of 
raisins, chopped very fine. Steam one-half hour in small cups. 

RoLY Poly Pudding. 
The pastry for this favorite pudding may be made in several 
different ways, according to the degree of richness required. For 
a superior pudding, mix a pound of flour with half a pound of very 
finely shred suet, freed from skin and fibre; add a good pinch of 
salt, an egg, and nearly half a pint of milk; roll it out to a long thin 
form, a quarter of an inch thick, and of a width to suit the size of 
the saucepan in which it is to be boiled; spread over it a layer of 
any kind of jam, berries, or fruit, and be careful that the sauce 
does not reach the edges of the pastry. Begin at one end and roll 
it up, to fasten the fruit inside, moisten the edges and press them 
securely together; dip a cloth in boiling Avater, flour it w*ell, and 
tie the pudding tightly in it; put it into a saucepan of boiling- 



DESSERTS. 12a 

■water, at the bottom of which a plate has been laid to keep the 
pudding from burning, and boil quickly until done. If it is neces- 
sary to add more water, let it be boiling when put in, or the pud- 
ding may be steamed. Marmalade, sliced lemon or orange and 
sugar, chopped apples, or currants, may be used for filling. If 
boiled, it will require from an hour and a half to two hours to 
boil. 

Rice Puddin^g. 

One quart of milk, one cup of rice (boiled), three eggs, two 
tablespoonfuls of sugar, and one teaspoonful of extract of lemon, 
vanilla, or orange. 

Sago Pudding, 

One quart rich, sweet milk, four tablesjaoonfuls of sago, four 
eggs, one -cup sugar, and flavoring; soak sago over night in water; 
then beat yolks of eggs, sugar, and sago together; add milk and 
flavoring; set a basin in the steamer, pour in the mixture and 
steam one hour; beat whites with one tablespoonful of sugar to a 
stiff froth; spread over pudding and brown in oven five minutes; 
stir while steaming or the sago will settle to the bottom. 

Suet Pudding, 
One small cup of suet cut fine, one cup of molasses, one cup 
chopped raisins, one cup sour milk, half a teaspoonful each of 
cloves, cinnamon and nutmeg, and one teaspoonful of soda. Stir 
thick with flour, and put in pudding bag, leaving room to rise, and 
boil three hours. 

Steamed Pudding, 
One cup of sugar, one-half cup of butter, three eggs, one cup of 
milk, three heaping teaspoonf uls of baking powder, and three cups 
of flour; steam one hour, 

Snow^ Pudding, 
Pour one pint of boiling water on half a box of gelatine; add 
juice of one lemon and two cups sugar; when nearly cold, strain it, 
add the whites of three eggs beaten to a stiff froth, then beat all 



124 DESSERTS. 

^ell together again, put it into a mold to shape it, and let it cool. 
Take the yolks of these eggs, one pint milk, and one teaspoonful 
•corn starch, flavor with vanilla; cook this like any soft custard, put 
the hard part of the pudding into a dish, when you want to serve it, 
with the custard round it. 

Steamed Pudding. 
One cup sweet milk, two-thirds cup butter, one cup molasses, one 
■cup chopped raisins, three cups flour, two-thirds teaspoonful soda. 
Put into a covered pail and steam three hours. 

Steawberky Shoet Cake. 

Rub into one quart of flour five ounces of lard, a pinch of salt, 
and three tablespoonfuls of baking powder; add gradually enough 
milk to make a soft dough; divide into four parts; roll one part 
out lightly; cover a straight-sided Vienna cake tin with it. Roll 
out another part and lay it on top of the first. Proceed in the same 
way with the other two parts, using another baking tin. Bake 
quickly, and when done, while hot, lift the upper part from each 
pan, butter the inner surfaces, and place between the two crusts a 
layer, an inch thick, of fresh berries, mashed and sweetened. Serve 
immediately, with cream. A raspberry shortcake may be made 
with the same pastry. 

Custard to pour over Strawberry Shortcake. — One cup sugar, one 
tablespoonful corn starch, one egg, and one pint of milk. Flavor 
and cook as custard. 

S'TRA'^TSEEUT Shortcake, No. 2. 
Mix a saltspoonful of salt with a pound of flour; chop in three 
tablespoonfuls of butter; dissolve a teaspoonful of soda in a little 
hot water, and add with a well-beaten egg to a large cup of sour 
<;ream or rich " lobbered " milk, and a tablespoonful of sugar. Put 
all together, handling as little as possible, and mix as soft as can be 
rolled. Roll lightly and quickly into two sheets, and bake in round 
tins, well greased, laying one sheet on the other. When done, 



DESSERTS. 125 

separate, they will part where they were joined. Lay on the 
lower sheet a thick layer of strawberries, and dust with })0-wdered 
sugar. If desired, strawberries can be placed on top and sugared 
as before. Serve with sweet cream. If the strawberries are just 
lieated a little and crushed lightly with a spoon and then put 
between the crusts, it is much improved. 

Tapioca Pudding. 
Put a cup of tapioca and a teaspoonful of salt into a pint and a- 
ialf of water and let it stand a couple of hours where it will be 
quite warm and not cook. Peel six tart apples, take out their cores 
and fill them with sugar in which is grated a little nutmeg and 
lemon peel, and put them in a pudding dish. Over these pour the 
tapioca, first mixing with it a tablespoonful of melted butter and a- 
little cold milk. Bake one hour. Eat with sauce. 

Tapioca Pudding, No. 2. 
One cup tapioca, soaked in water an hour, one quart milk, three 
eggs, one cup sugar. Bake. 

To Cook Rice. 

To cook rice so that the grains will be whole and tender, wash it 
in cold water until the water looks clear, then cook it rapidly iiL 
"boiling water for. fifteen minutes, after which drain and place the 
covered saucepan on the back of the stove to steam until the grains 
crack open and are tender, which will be about fifteen minutes. 
longer. 

Vegetable Pudding. 

Half a pound of carrots, half a pound of cold, mashed potatoes,, 
the same of flour, suet, sugar, four ounces candied lemon peel, one- 
quarter of a pound of currants. Boil slowly for two hours. 

Whipped Syllabubs. 
One pint of cream, rich and sweet, one-half cup sugar, powdered,, 
one glass of wine, vanilla, or other extract one large teaspoonful. 



126 DESSERTS. 

Sweeten the cream, and, when tlio sngar is thoroughly dissolved, 
stir in the wine carefully with the flavoring extract, and churn to a 
strong froth. Heap in glasses and eat with cake. 

Yaxkee Pudding. 

One cup of molasses, one cup of sour milk or buttei-miik, one-half 
cup sugar, two teaspoonf uls of butter, two teaspoonf uls of saleratus, 
one teaspoonf ul of ginger, same of cinnamon, five of flour, one egg; 
bake in a shallow pan. 

Sauce. — One pint of milk or cream, half cup sugar, white of one 
^gg, beaten lightly, one teaspoonf ul of corn starch; flavor with 
nutmeg. Boil one minute. 

PuDDixG Sauce. 
A nice and easily made sauce for plum and all kinds of rich pud- 
dings may be made as follows: Beat the yolks of two eggs, and 
add four ounces of powdered sugar and half a pint of Madeira, and 
set it upon a slow fire and stir until it becomes smooth, and 
thickens. Serve in a sauce-tureen. 

Sweet Sauce. 
Sweeten a little good, melted butter, and flavor it with grated 
lemon rind, nutmeg, or powdered cinnamon, strew a little of the 
grate over the top, and serve in a tureen. A little wine or brandy 
may be added- at pleasure. This sauce is suitable for almost all 
■ordinary boiled puddings. 

Fruit Sauce. 
Boil fruit (almost any kind may be used) with a little water until 
it is quite soft; rub it through a fine sieve; sweeten to taste; make 
it hot, and pour over boiled or steamed puddings. 

Fkuit Pudding Sauce. 
One-half cup butter, two and one-half cups sugar, one dessert- 
spoonful corn starch wet in a littl ' cold milk, one lemon — juice and 
balf the grated peel, one glass of wine, one cup boiling water. 



DESSERTS. 127 

'Cream the butter and sugar well; pour the corn starch into the 
boilmg water, and stir over a clear fire until it is well thickened; 
put all together in a bowl and beat five minutes before returning to 
the saucepan. Heat once, almost to the boiling point, add the 
wine, and serve. 

Akrowroot Sauce, 

Mix a tablespoonfiil of arrowroot smoothly with a little cold 
water; add a third of a pint of water, a glass of wine, the juice of 
a lemon, and sugar and flavoring; stir the sauce over the fire till 
it boils. This sauce may be varied by omitting the wine, and using 
milk with the arrowroot. The juice of almost any fruit, too, may 
be boiled with the arrowroot. 

Germa^st Custard Sauce. 

Four yolks eggs, two ounces powdered sugar, grated rind of a 
lemon, a glass of sherry, and a little salt. Beat it sharply over a 
:slow fire, until it assumes the appearance of a light, frothy custard. 
It is a good sauce. 

Pudding Sauce. 

Two eggs, two cups sugar, and one cup butter, one glass of wine; 

beat all well together till creamy, and set over the fire a few 

minutes to scald through once, or set it in the tea kettle top to heat 

through. 

Puff Paste. 

Use for each pound of butter one pound of flour. First the 
l»utter should be worked or kneaded with the hand until all the 
buttermilk or water which may be in it is squeezed out. Wet the 
land and the molding board with cold water. The butter must 
not be put in with the cracks in it, which you will see on breaking 
it, for these make the pastry full of flakes. By working with the 
liand a smooth even paste can be made without melting the butter. 
J^fter working, wrap in a towel dusted with flour and put in a cool 
place. Mix one pound of flour, the yolk of one egg, one teasjjoon- 
f ul of butter, the juice of a lemon, and a saltspoonful of salt, with 



128 DESSERTS. 

cold water enough to make a paste as soft as bread dough. The 
lemon juice is for making the dough tender, and the egg is used 
simjily to give a yellowish appearance to the crust. This is the 
French method of prej^aring paste. The pastry is worked to mix 
the gluten with the water to make, first, a slightly tough dough tO' 
hold the butter; the lemon juice afterward makes it tender. It 
should be kneaded about five minutes. You can always tell when it 
is kneaded enough, because it will then pull away from the hand 
and not stick. Roll it out about the size of a large dinner plate,, 
lay in it the butter, fold the sides over, turn it over and roll into a- 
strip three times as long as it is wide, square at the corners, and 
one-quarter of an inch thick. Fold one-third over the middle and 
the other third over that, making three layers; roll again into a 
strip three times as long as it is wide. Fold a second time and roll 
out again in the same way. Fold again and wrap in a cloth, place 
it in a pan and set where it will get very cold. This is called 
giving the pastry " one turn." When it is made by fine confec- 
tioners it usually has six " turns." 

Pie Ceust. 

Into one quart sifted flour, thoroughly mix two heaping tea- 
spoonfuls baking powder, and sift again. Weigh out three-quar- 
ters of a pound good butter. Take half of it and chop into the 
flour until it is very fine. Then add enough cold water (ice water 
is the best) to make a stiff dough. Roll out into a thin sheet and 
baste with one-third the remaining butter, the« roll it up closely 
into a long roll, flatten and re-roll, then baste again. Repeat this, 
operation until the butter is gone. Then make out your crust. Do 
it all as quickly as possible. The quantity of butter may be 
increased or decreased to suit the taste, following the other direc- 
tions as stated. 

Good ai^d Cheap Pie Crust. 

One quart sifted flour, one teaspoonful salt, two heaping tea- 
spoonfuls baking powder; mix thoroughly together while dry, and. 



DESSERTS. 129 

sift. Then add cold sweet milk enough to make a stifiE dough, and 
roll out as usual. Use the " Pie Crust Glaze " on both the bottom. 
and top crusts, as per following recipe. Some prefer less of the 
baking powder in the pie crust. A trial will determine what quan- 
tity best suits your taste. 

Pie Crust Glaze. 

To prevent the juice soaking through into the crust and making- 
it soggy, wet the crust with a beaten egg just before you put m liic: 
pie mixture. If the top of the pie is wet with the egg it gives it a, 
beautiful brown. 

Pie Crust for Four Small Pies. 

One and « half cups lard, one cup cold water, three and a half 
cups flour, mix lard and flour together; add water last. 

Tart Crust. 

One cup of lard, one-half teaspoonful of salt, the white of an egg, 
one-quarter teaspoonful of cream of tartar, one tablespoonful of 
sugar, one-eighth teaspoonful of saleratus, three tablespoonfuls of 
ice water; flour to roll; mix lard with one cup of flour; add salt, 
sugar, and cream of tartar; beat egg; mix with water and saleratus, 
all together; keep the dough cold; add flour to roll, one-quarter of 
an inch thick. The above makes eighteen tarts. 

Icing Pastry. 

When flearly baked enough, take the pastry out of the oven and 
sift fine powdered sugar over it. Replace it in the oven, and hold 
over it a hot salamander or shovel till the sugar is melted. The- 
above method is preferred for pastry to be eaten hot; for cold, 
beat up the whites of two eggs well, wash over the tops of the pies 
with a brush, and sift over this a good coating of sugar; cause it 
to adhere to the egg and pie crust; trundle over it a clean brush, 
dipped in water, till the sugar is all moistened. Bake again for 
about ten minutes. 

9 



130 DESSERTS. 

Puff Paste with Beef Suet. 
When you cannot obtain good butter for making paste, the fol- 
lowing is an excellent substitute: Skin and chop one pound of 
kidney beef suet very fine, put it into a mortar and pound it well, 
moistening with a little oil, till it become as it were one piece, 
About the consistency of butter. 

Apricot Pie. 
Pare, stone, and half the apricots; place them in a pie dish, piling 
them high in the center, strew over them a little sifted sugar, and 
a few of the kernels, blanched and chopped fine. Cover them with 
a good, light crust and bake in a moderate oven. 

Apple Pie. 
Fill the pie crust with sour, juicy apples, pared and sliced thin, 
put on the upper crust and bake until the apples are soft, then 
remove the upper crust, adding sugar to taste, a small piece of 
"butter, and a little grated nutmeg; stir this well through the apple 
and replace the crust. 

Apple Custard Pie. 

Peel sour apples and stew until soft and not much water left in 
them, then rub them through a colander, beat three eggs for each 
pie to be baked, and put in at the rate of one cup of butter and one 
of sugar for three pies. Line the \ne tins with paste, put in the 
apples first, spread the beaten eggs, butter and sugar, flavored with 
nutmeg over it. Bake as pumpkin pie. • 

Boiled Cider Pie. 

A boiled cider pie may be a novelty to some one. Take four 

tablespoonfuls of boiled cider, three tablespoonfuls each of sugar 

SLnd water, two tablespoonfuls of flour, and one egg; beat all 

together. Bake in a deep plate and with upper and under crusts. 

Banana Pie. 
Slice raw bananas, add butter, sugar, allspice, and vinegar, or 
toiled cider or diluted jelly. Bake with two crusts. 



DESSERTS. 131 

Cracker Pie. 

Soak ten crackers in one and one-half cuprf of boiling water, add 
one cup of molasses, one cup sugar, one cup butter, one cup raisins, 
■two-thirds cup of vinegar, one-half nutmeg, one-half teaspoonful 
ground cloves, one teaspoonful cinnamon. Bake with two crusts. 

Chocolate Pie. 
One coffeecup milk, two tablespoonfuls grated chocolate, three- 
fourths cup sugar, yolks of three eggs. Heat chocolate and milk 
together; add the sugar and yolks together, beaten to cream. 
Flavor with vanilla. Bake with under crust. Spread meringue of 
the whites over the top. 

CocoANUT Pie. 

Open the eyes of a cocoanut with a pointed knife or gimlet, and 
pour out the milk into a cup; then break the shell and take out the 
meat and grate it fine. Take the same weight of sugar and the 
grated nut and stir together; beat four eggs, the whites and yolks 
separately, to a stiff foam; mix one cup of cream and the milk of 
the cocoanut with the sugar and nut, then add the eggs and a few 
drops of orange or lemon extract. Line deep pie-tins with a nice 
crust, fill them with the custard, and bake carefully one-half an 
tour. 

Jelly Custard. 

To one cup of any sort of jelly, add one egg and beat well 
together with three teaspoonfuls cream or milk. After mixing 
thoroughly, bake in a good crust. 

Custard Pie. 
Line a deep plate with pie crust and fill with a custard made of 
one pint of milk, three eggs, three tablespoonfuls of white sugar 
and a pinch of salt; flavor with nutmeg; bake until firm in the 
•center; this you can tell by inserting the handle of a teaspoon; do 
not let the oven get hot enough to boil it. 



132 , DESSERTS. 

Ceeam Pib. 
Pour a pint of cream upon a cup and a half of powdered sugar; 
let it stand till the whites of three eggs have been beaten to a stiff 
froth; add this to the cream, and beat up thoroughly, grate a little 
nutmeg over the mixture and bake as custard pies. 

Cream Pie, No. 2. 
Three eggs, one cup sugar, one and one-fourth cups flour, juice 
and grated rind of lemon, half teaspoonful soda dissolved, and one 
tablespoonful cold water, stirred in the last thing. Bake in round 
sheets. 

Custard for Cream Pie. 

A little more than half pint milk, half cup flour, one cup sugar, 
two eggs. Boil, when cold, spread on the cakes and lay them, 
together. This receipt makes two pies. 

Delicate Pie. 

To stewed apples sufiicient for four pies, one-half pound of 

butter, six eggs, beaten separately, one pound of sugar; flavor with 

lemon, the apples being quite cold before adding the eggs. Bake 

as a tart pie. 

Lemok Pie. 

One cup of hot water, one tablespoonful of corn starch, one cup of 
white sugar, one tablespoonful of butter, the juice and grated rind 
of one lemon. Cook for a few minutes, add one egg, and bake 
with a top and bottom crust. 

Fruit Pia 
Line a soup plate with a rich paste, and spread with a layer of 
strawberry or raspberry preserves; over which sprinkle two table- 
spoonfuls of finely-chopped almonds (blanched of course), and one- 
half ounce of candied lemon peel cut into shreds. Then mix the 
following ingredients: One-half pound white sugar, one-quarter 
pound butter, melted, four yolks and two whites of eggs, and a few 
drops of almond essence. Beat well together and pour the mixture 



DESSERTS. - 133 

into the soup plate over the preserves, etc. Bake in a moderately 
■warm oven. When cold, sprinkle or sift a little powdered sugar 
over the top. A little cream eaten with it is a great addition. 

Lemon Pie, No. 2. 
I'he juice and grated rind of one lemon, one cup of white sugar, 
"the yolks of two eggs, three tablespoonfuls of sifted flour, and suf- 
"ficient njilk to fill a plate. Make with undercrust, but not the 
uppercrust. Bake till nearly done and then add a frosting made of 
the beaten whites of two eggs, and two tablespoonfuls of powdered, 
sugar, and set back in the oven and brown slightly. 

Mince Meat. 
One pint of chopped meat, two pints of chopped apples, one jjint 
each of molasses and vinegar, two pints of sugar, one tablespoonf uL 
each of cinnamon, cloves, and allspice, a cup of chopped suet or 
hutter, a little salt, and a little brandy if liked. Add raisins when 
the pies are baked. 

Mince Meat. 

Two pounds of lean beef boiled; when cold chop fine; one pound 

of suet minced to a powder, five pounds of juicy apples, pared and 

chopped, two pounds of raisins, seeded, two pounds of sultanas or 

seedless raisins, two pounds of currants, one-half pound of citron, 

chopped, three tablespoonfuls of cinnamon, two tablespoonfuls of 

mace, one tablespoonful of allspice, one tablespoonful of fine salt, 

one grated nutmeg, three pounds of brown sugar, one-half gallon 

of sweet cider. Mince meat made by this recipe will keep till 

spring. 

Mince Pie. 

It is supposed you have your meat ready for the paste. Make 
the paste by rubbing into a quart of your best flour one-third 
of a pound of sweet lard; chop it in with a broad knife, if you have 
time; wet up with ice water; roll out very thin and cover with 
dabs of butter, also of the best; fold into a tight roll; flatten with 
a few strokes of the rolling-pin, and roll out into a sheet as thin as 



lo4 DESSERTS. 

the first; baste again with the butter; roll up and out into a third 
sheet hardly thicker than drawing paper; a third time dot with, 
butter and fold up closely. Having used as much butter for this 
purpose as you have lard, set aside your roll for an hour on ice, or 
in a very cold place; then roll out, line your pie plates with the 
paste, fill with mince meat, put strips across them in squares or 
triangles and bake in a steady and not dull heat. 

Mince Pie, No. 2. 
Boil a piece of beef weighing six pounds, and a beef's tongue 
weighing six pounds, six hours. Then skin the tongue, chop it and 
the beef fine; add five pounds beef suet chopped fine, five pounds 
raisins stoned, three pounds dried currants, one and one-half pound 
citron, four pounds brown sugar, one pint good molasses, one quart 
brandy, one quart wine, or, omit these, and add in their place 
boiled cider; half a cup each of salt, cinnamon, allspice and cloves,, 
three nutmegs and a tablespoonf ul of mace. Mix all well together, 
and let it stand over night. Mix apples stewed when you make 
the pies, as the meat keeps better without apple. Keep it in a- 
stone jar. You should have about a third as much apple as you 
have of the mince meat for a batch of pies. 

Mince Meat Without Meat. 
Take nine lemons, squeeze out the juice, boil the rinds and pulp 
(remove seed) in three or four waters till bitterness is out and 
rinds quite tender; beat them to a pulp; two and one-half pounds 
beef suet after it is picked from the skins, two pounds currant* 
after they are picked and washed, one and one-half pounds raisins 
after they are stoned, two ounces almonds, two pounds sugar, one- 
half pound citron, a glass of brandy, and one of any kind of sweet 
wine; mix all these ingredients well together with the juice from 
the lemons, and as many sweetmeats as you please. 

Marlborough Pie. 
Grate six apples, one cup sugar, three tablespoonfuls melted 



DEiSSERTS. 135 

"butter, four eggs, juice and grated rind of a lemon, two tablespoon- 
fuls brandy or wine, if you choose; if not, omit it. Bake in aa 
under, but without top crust. 

Orange Pie. 

Take four good-sized' oranges, peel, seed, and cut in very small 
pieces. Add a cup of sugar, and let stand. Into a quart of nearly 
boiling milk stir two tablespoonfuls of corn starch mixed with a 
little water, and the yolks of three eggs. When this is done, 
let it cool, then mix with the oranges. Put it in simply a lower 
crust. Make a frosting of the whites of the eggs and one-half cup 
sugar. Spread it over top of pies, and place for a few seconds in 
the oven to brown. 

Cream Peach Pie. 

Pare ripe peaches and remove the stones; have your pie dishes 
ready lined with a good paste, fill with the peaches; stew these 
with sugar; lay the upper crust on lightly, slightly buttering the 
lower at the point of contact. When the pie is done, lift the cover 
and pour in a cream made thus: One cup (small) of rich milk,, 
heated; whites of two eggs, whipped and stirred into the milk; 
one tablespoonful of sugar; one-half teaspoonful of corn starch wet 
up in milk. Boil three minutes. The cream must be cold when it 
goes into the hot pie. Replace the crust, and set by to cool. Eat 
fresh. 

Pine-Apple Pie. 

One granted pine-apple, its weight in sugar, half its weight in 
butter, five eggs, the whites beaten to a stiff froth, one cup of 
cream; cream the butter and beat it with the sugar and yolks until 
veiy light; add the cream, the pine-apple and the whites of the 
eggs. Bake with an under crust. To be eaten cold. 

Pttmpkik Pie. 
Pare the pumpkin and take out the seeds without scraping the- 
inside; stew and strain through a sieve. To every quart of milk 
add five eggs, and stir the pumpkin into the milk and eggs until 



136 DESSERTS. 

the proper consistency; sweeten with sugar or the best syrup; 
molasses makes it too strong. Add some salt, powdered cinnamon, 
powdered ginger and the grated peel of lemon. Bake in either deep 
kOV shallow dishes in a hot oven. 

Potato Pie. 
One pound mashed potato, rubbed through a colander; one-fourth 
pound of butter, creamed with the sugar; six eggs, whites and 
yolks beaten separately; one lemon, squeezed into the potato while 
hot; one teaspoonful of nutmeg and the same of mace; two cups 
of white sugar. Cream the butter and sugar; add the yolks, the 
«pice, and beat in the potato gradually until it is very light. At 
last, whip in the whites. Bake in open shells of paste. Eat cold. 

Sweet Potato Pie. 

A plate deeper than the common pie plate is necessary. Bake 
"medium-sized potatoes, not quite done. Yams are best. Line the 
plate with good paste; slice the potatoes; place a layer upon the 
bottom of the plate; over this sprinkle thickly a layer of good 
brown sugar; over this place thin slices of butter and sprinkle with 
flour, seasoning with spices to the taste. A heaped tablespoonful 
of butter and a heaped teaspoonful of flour will be sufficient for one 
pie. Put on another layer of potatoes, piled a little in the middle. 
Mix together equal quantities lemon juice and water, or vinegar 
and water and pour in enough to half fill the pie; sprinkle over the 
potato a little flour and place on the upper crust, pinching the 
(edges carefully together. Cut a slit in the center and bake slowly 
a,n hour. 

Sweet Potato Pie, No. 2. 

Boil potatoes until tender, pare and put through a colander or 
fsieve. To one pint of potato add one pint of milk, three eggs, and 
from one to two cups sugar, to suit taste; flavor with ginger or 
lemon. 



DESSERTS. 137 

Apple or Peach Meringue Pie. 
Stew the apples or peaches and sweeten to taste. Mash smooth 
and season with nutmeg. Fill the crusts and bake until just done. 
Put on no top crusts. Take the whites of three eggs for each pie 
and whip to a stiff froth, and sweeten with three tablespoonfuls 
powdered sugar. Flavor with rose water or vanilla. Beat until it 
will stand alone, then spread it on the pie one-half to one inch 
thick, and set back into the oven until the meringue is well " set." 
Eat cold. 

Peach Pie. 

Peel, stone and slice the peaches; line a pie plate with crust and 
lay in your fruit, sprinkling sugar liberally over them in proportion 
to their sweetness. Allow three peach kernels chopped fine to each 
pie; pour in a very little water and bake with an upper crust, or 
"wdth cross-bars of paste across the top. 

Quince Pie. 
Pare, slice, and stew six quinces till soft; press them through a 
sieve; add to them one pint milk and four well-beaten eggs. 
Sweeten to taste, and bake in a bottom crust three-fourths of an 
hour in a moderate oven. 

Cream Raspberry Pie. 
Line a pie-dish with puff paste, and fill with raspberries, sweet- 
ened bountifully. Cover with a paste crust, but do not pinch this 
down at the edges. Also rub the edge of the lower crust with 
butter to prevent adhesion. Bake in a good oven. While it is 
cooking, heat a small cup of rich milk, putting in a pinch of soda; 
stir into it half a teaspoonful of corn starch, wet in cold milk, one 
tablespoonf ul of white sugar, and cook three minutes. Take it off, 
and beat in the frothed whites of two eggs. Whip to a cream, and 
let it get cold. When the pie comes out of the oven, lift the top 
crust and pour in the mixture; replace the crust and set aside to 
-cool; sift sugar upon the top before serving. 



Iiii3 DESSKliTS. 

Raisin Pie. 

One lemon — juice and yellow rind, one cup of raisins, one cup of 
water, one cup of rolled crackers; stone the raisins, and boil la 
water to soften them. 

Rhubarb Pik. 

One and one-half bunches rhubard, one and one-quarter cups, 
sugar. Cut the fruit in small pieces after stripping off the skin, 
.and cook it very fast in a shallow stewpan, with sugar. Line a pie 
plate with the paste; wet the rim; add the rhubarb, cold; lay 
three bars of paste across, fastening the ends; lay three more 
across, forming diamond-shaped spaces; lay round a rim, wash 
over with egg, and bake in a quick oven fifteen minutes. 

Rice Pie. 
For two pies, take two tablespoonfuls of rice; wash and put it 
into a farina boiler wnth a quart of milk; cook until perfectly soft. 
Let it cool; add three eggs, well beaten, with three tablespoonfuls 
of sugar and one of butter, a little salt, cinnamon and a few stoned 
raisins. Bake with undercrust. 

Squash Pie. 

Pare the squash and remove the seeds; stew until soft and dry; 
then pulp it through a colander; stir into the pulp enough sweet 
milk to make it thick as batter; spice with ginger, cinnamon, nut- 
meg, or other seasoning to taste; sweeten with sugar and add four 
beaten eggs for each quart of milk. Fill a pie plate lined with 
crust and bake one hour. 

Vinegar Pies. 

One and one-half cups good vinegar, one cup of water, lump of 
butter size of an egg, sugar enough to sweeten to the taste; flavor 
with lemon; put in stewpan on stove; take five eggs, beat the yolks 
with one cup of water and two heaping teaspoonfuls of flour; 
when the vinegar comes to a boil, put in the eggs and flour, stirring- 
till well cooked; have ready crust for four pies, put in the fiUing^ 



DESSERTS. 139 

and bake. Beat the whites with two teaspoonf uls of white sugar 
to a froth, spread on the pies when done, and color in the oven. 
These are excellent. 

Taets. 
Use the best of puff paste; roll it out a little thicker than the pie 
crust, and cut with a large biscuit-cutter twice as many as you 
intend to have of tarts; then cut out of half of them a small round, 
in the center, which will leave a circular rim of crust; lift this up 
carefully, and lay on the large pieces. Bake in pans, and fill with 
any kind of preserves, jam, or jelly. 



CHAPTER VIII. 

DRINKS, 

Coffee. 

JNCE Pasquet Rossee opened the first coffee-house in Europe 
in Newman's Court, Cornhill, London, in 1652, its popularity 
has constantly increased until to-day those who use it embrace 
the whole world, and its annual consumption is measured by 
millions of pounds. But as common as is its use, it has not been 
a common occurrence in our experience to have set before us a 
really good cup of coffee. This fact convinces us that there is 
still much need of information on this subject. 

The following, by H. K. & F. B. Thurber & Co., is so appropriate 
that we quote it in full : 

" Nothing is more generally desired or appreciated, nothing 
harder to find than a uniformly good cup of coffee. Its production 
is usually considered an easy matter, but it involves the observance 
of a considerable number of conditions by a considerable number of 
persons, and a volume might be written about these and still leave 
much to be said. We will, however, briefly state the most import- 
ant requisites. 

" The wholesale dealer must exercise care and judgment in his 
selections, as there is almost as much difference in the flavor of 
coffee as there is of tea; this is especially true of Mocha, Java, 
Maracaibo, and other fancy coffees, of which frequently the bright- 
est and handsomest looking lots are greatly lacking in the flavor 
and aroma Avhich constitute the chief value of coffee, and which 
can be ascertained only by testing carefully each invoice purchased. 
It should be roasted by a professional roaster, as this is a very 

140 



DRINKS. 141 

.important part of the programme, and requires skill, experience and 
constant practice. Expert roasters are usually experienced men and 
command high salaries. A bad coffee roaster is dear at any price^ 
as the coffee may be ruined or its value greatly injured by an error 
in judgment or an instant's inattention. Owing to these circum- 
stances, in addition to the fact that in order to do good work it i». 
necessary to roast a considerable quantity at a time, none of the 
small hand machines produce uniformly good results, and they are 
only to be tolerated where distance makes it impossible for the 
retail merchants to obtain regular and (when not in air-tight pack- 
ages) frequent supplies of the roasted article. How much it should 
be roasted is also an important part of the question. For making 
" black " or " French " coffee it should be roasted higher than usual 
(the French, also, often add a little chicory), and some sections are 
accustomed to a higher roast than others, but as a whole the cus- 
tomary New York standard will best suit the average American 
palate. Retail dealers should buy their roasted coffee of a reliable 
house that has a reputation to sustain, and that cannot be induced 
to cut down prices below what they can afford to furnish an article 
that will do them credit. Do not buy much at a time (unless in 
air-tight packages), a week or ten day's supply is enough, and if 
you are situated so you can buy it twice a week, so much the 
better. Keep it in a dry place and, if possible, in a tin can which 
shuts tightly, never in a pine box or bin, for the smell of the wood 
is quickly absorbed by the coffee. Get your customers in the habit 
of buying it in the berry, or, if they have no mill at home and want 
you to grind it for them (every grocer should have a mill), grind it. 
pretty fine, so that when used the strength is readily extracted, but 
do not sell them much at a time, as it is a necessity to have it 
freshly ground. 

" Consumers should adopt the above suggestions to retail dealers 
— ^buy of a reliable dealer who will* not represent an inferior article 
as 'Java;' buy in small quantities and buy often; keep it dry in a 
tightly closed tin can or in a glass or earthen jar. Have a small 



142 DKINKS. 

hand coffee mill and grind only when ready to use it, and if, during 
rainy weather, the kernels become damp and tough warm them up 
in a clean pot or skillet but do not scorch them; this drives off the 
moisture, restores the flavor and makes it grind better. The 
grinding is an important feature; if ground too coarse you lose 
much of the strength and aroma of the coffee; if too fine it is hard 
t© make it clear, but of the two the latter is the least objectionable; 
both the strength and the flavor of the coffee, however, is a neces- 
sity, and if a little of the finely powdered coffee flows out with the 
liquid extract it is clean and will hurt nobody. It is better, how- 
ever, to grind it just right, which is that the largest pieces will be 
no larger than pin heads." 

We now come to the important part of making coffee. For this 
there are many receipts and formulas, including a large number of 
new and so-called improved coffee-pots, but we have never seen any 
of the new methods which, in the long run, gave as satisfactory 
•results as the following old-fashioned receipt: 

Grind moderately fine a large cup of coffee; break into it one 
egg with shell; mix well, adding just enough cold water to thor- 
oughly wet the grounds; upon this pour one pint boiling water; 
let it boil slowly for ten to fifteen minutes, and then stand three 
minutes to settle; pour through a fine wire sieve into coffee-pot, 
"which should be first rinsed with hot water; this will make enough 
for four persons. Coffee should be served as soon as made. At 
table, first rinse the cup with hot water, put in the sugar, then fill 
half full of hot milk, add your coffee, and you have a delicious 
beverage that will be a revelation to many poor mortals who have 
an indistinct remembrance of and an intense longing for an ideal 
•cup of coffee. If you have cream so much the better; and in that 
case boiling water can be added either in the pot or cup to make up 
for the space occupied by milk, as above; or condensed milk will 
be found a good substitute for cream. 

General Hetnarks.—W e have thus briefly indicated the points 
neceesary to be observed in obtaining uniformly good coffee. 



DRINKS. 143 

whether made from Rio, or Java, and other mild flavored coffees. 
In the Eastern and Middle States, Mocha, Java, Maracaibo, Ceylon, 
etc., are most highly esteemed and generally used; but at the west 
and south more Rio coffee is consumed. The coffee par excellence, 
however, is a mixture of Mocha and Java together, and thus 
thoroughly blended. Mocha alone , is too rough and acrid, but, 
"blended as above, it is certainly delicious. In all varieties, how- 
ever, there is a considerable range as to quality and flavor, and, as 
before stated, the best guide for the consumer is to buy of a reli- 
able dealer and throw upon his shoulders the responsibility of fur- 
nishing a satisfactory article. 

Hotels and restaurants that desire good coffee, should make in 
small quantities and more frequently. It is impossible for coffee to 
be good when it is kept simmering for hours after it is made. 

Coffee Substitutes. 

French cooks, who are celebrated for making good co^ee, mix 
three or four different kinds, and recommend as a good proportion, 
to add to one pound of Java about four ounces of Mocha and four 
•ounces of one or two other kinds. It is said that from three parts 
of Rio, with two parts of Old Government Java, a coffee can be 
made quite as good, if not superior, to that made of Java alone. 

Wbeat coffee, made of a mixture of eight quarts of wheat to one 
pound of real coffee, is said to afford a beverage quite as agreeable 
as the unadulterated Rio, besides being much more wholesome. It 
is probably known to many that a very large per cent, of the 
ground coffee sold at the stores is common field pease, roasted and 
ground with genuine coffee. There are hundreds of thousands of 
bushels of peas annually used for that purpose. Those who are in 
the habit of purchasing ground coffee can do better to buy their 
own pease, burn and grind them, and mix to suit themselves. 
Novel Mode of Making Coffee. 

Put two ounces of ground coffee into a stewpan, which set upon 
the fire, stirring the powder around with a spoon until quite hot. 



144 DRINKS. 

when pour over a pint of boiling water; cover over closely for 
five minutes, when strain it through a cloth, rinse out the stewpan, 
pour the coffee, which will be quite clear, back into it, place it on 
the fire, and when near boiling, serve with hot milk. 

Tea. 

"We find the following eminently sensible lines in Household 
Hints : 

One of the most surprising things one constantly meets is to find 
that the people who have the same duties to perform, day after 
day, or year after year, do not improve in their method or evea 
once blunder into the right way of doing them. Nothing is more 
easily made than good tea, and yet how seldom, away from home^ 
does one enjoy delicately fragrant tea which Hawthorne calls " an= 
angel's gift " and which Miss Mitf ord said she could be awake all 
night drinking. The first thing needed is a clean tea-pot; it is- 
useless to try to make good tea in a rusty pot, or one in which the: 
leaves Bave been allowed to remain all night. The water should, 
be boiling but the tea itself should never boil. I wish these words- 
could be painted on the wall of every hotel and restaurant kitchea 
in the United States. After the boiling water has been poured 
over the tea set the tea-pot on an extra griddle on the back of the 
stove. All that is good in the tea will be gradually extracted from 
it; then when brought to the table one may well echo De Quin- 
cey's wish for an " eternal tea-pot," though not inclined to follow 
his example of drinking it from eight o'clock in the evening until 
four o'clock in the morning. 

The most satisfactory steeper I ever used is an old-fashioned 
brown earthern tea-pot. This may be kept perfectly clean with 
almost no trouble. Whatever may be said of the hurtfulness of 
tea, when immoderately used, a cup of the afternoon tea so fre- 
quently mentioned in novels and essays is an unpurchasable luxury. 
Hamerton says in " The Intellectual Life : " " If tea is a safe stimu- 
lant it is certainly an agreeable one; there seems to be no valid 
reason why brain workers should refuse themselves this solace." 



DRINKS. 145 



Iced Tea. 



The tea should be made in the morning, very strong, and not 
allowed to steep long. Keep in the ice-box till the meal is ready 
and then put in a small quantity of cracked ice. Very few under- 
stand the art of making iced tea, but pour the scalding hot tea on a 
goblet of ice lumped in, and as the ice melts the tea is weak, insipid^ 
and a libel on its name. Iced coffee is very nice made in the same 
way. Too much ice is detrimental to health and often causes 
gastric fever; so beware of it when in a heated state, or do not 
drink of it in large quantities. 

A Good Summer Drikk. 
Two pounds Catawba grapes, three tablespoonfuls loaf sugar, 
one cup of cold water. Squeeze the grapes hard in a coarse cloth, ' 
when you have picked them from the stems. Wring out every 
drop of juice; add the sugar, and when it is dissolved, the watei-, 
surround with ice until very cold; put a lump of ice into a pitcher, 
pour out the mixture upon it, and drink at once. You can add 
more sugar if you like, or if the grapes are not quite ripe. 

Cottage Beer. 
Take a peck of good wheat bran and put it into ten gallons of 
water with three handfuls of good hops, and boil the whole 
together until the bran and hops sink to the bottom. Then strain 
it through a hair sieve or a thin cloth into a cooler, and when it is 
about lukewarm add two quarts of molasses. As soon as the 
molasses is melted, pour the whole into a ten-gallon cask, with two 
tablespoonfuls of yeast. When the fermentation has subsided, 
bung up the cask, and in four days it will be fit to use. 

Ginger Beer. 
Boil six ounces of bruised ginger in three quarts of water, for 
half an hour; then add five pounds of loaf sugar, a gill of lemon 
juice, quarter pound of honey, and seventeen quarts more of water, 

10 



146 DRlNKri. 

and strain it througli a cloth. When it is cold put in the whole of 
an egg, and two drachms of essence of lemon. After standing 
three or four days, it may be bottled. 

Spruce Beer. 

Take four ounces of hops, boil half an hour in one gallon of 
water; strain it; add sixteen gallons of warm water, two gallons 
of molasses, eight ounces of essence of spruce dissolved in one quart 
of water; put it in a clean cask, shake it well together, add half 
pint of yeast, let it stand and work one week; if warm weather, 
less time will do. When drawn off, add one teaspoonful of molasses 
iio each bottle. 

Iced Buttermilk. 

There is no healthier drink than buttermilk, but it must be the 
'Creamy, rich buttermilk to be good. It should stand on the ice to 
cool, though if very rich and thick a little ice in it is an improve- 
ment. 

Claket Cup. 

Put into a bowl three bottles of soda water, and one bottle of 
claret. Pare a lemon very thin and grate a nutmeg; add to these, 
in a jug, one pound of loaf sugar, and pour over them one pint of 
boiling wat^-; when cold, strain and mix with the wine and soda 
water; a little lemon juice may be added. 

Fruit Cup. 
Pare the yellow rind very thinly from twelve lemons; squeeze 
the juice over it in an earthern bowl, and let it stand over night if 
possible. Pare and slice thinly a very ripe pine-apple, and let it lay 
over night in half a pound of powdered sugar. Crush one quart of 
berries, and let them lay over night in half a pound of powdered 
sugar. If all these ingredient cannot be prepared the day before 
they are used, they must be done very early in the morning, 
because the juices of the fruit need to be incorporated with the 
.sugar at least twelve hours before the beverage is used. After all 



DRINKS. 147 

the ingredients have been properly prepared, as above, strain off 
the juice, carefully pressing all of it out of the fruit; mix it with 
two pounds of powdered sugar and three quarts of ice water, and 
stir it until all the sugar is dissolved. Then strain it again through 
a muslin or bolting-cloth sieve, and put it on the ice or in a very 
cool place until it is M^anted for use. 

Cream of Tartar Drink. 
Two teaspoonfuls of cream of tartar, the grated rind of a lemon, 
half a cup of loaf sugar, and one pint of boiling water. This is a 
good summer drink for invalids, and is cleansing to the blood. 

Jelly DRrsTKS. 
A little jelly or fruit syrup dissolved in a goblet of water wath a 
little sugar is a refreshing di-ink. Lime juice squeezed into lemon- 
ade gives it a tart but pleasing flavor. A little orange juice is also 
an improvement in nearly all summer drinks. 

Simon Pure Lemonade. 
Take thin-skinned lemons; I'oll them on the table until very soft; 
slice very thin with a sharp knife into a large pitcher, averaging 
one lemon to a person, thus allowing them two glasses apiece. Put 
in the pitcher with the sliced lemon a cup of white sugar to live 
lemons (or more if you want it sweeter) and pound all well together 
with a potato masher; put in a lump of ice; let it stand a few 
minutes and fill the pitcher with ice water. This makes lemonade 
that is lemonade, and the peel in the pitcher is delicious. 

Jelly Lemonade. 
Pare the yellow rind thinly from two oranges and six lemons 
and steep it four hours in a quart of hot water. Boil a pound and 
a half of loaf sugar in three pints of water, skimming it until it is 
clear. Pour these two mixtures together. Add to them the juice 
of six oranges and twelve lemons, mix and strain through a jelly- 
bag until clear; keep cool until wanted for use. If the beverage is 



148 DRINKS. 

to be kept several days, it should be put into clean glass bottles and 
corked tightly. If for a small party, half of the quantity will be 
sufficient. 

^ Ginger Lemonade. 

Take a half cup of vinegar, one cup of sugar, two teaspoonfuls- 
ginger; stir well together, put in a quart pitcher and fill with ice 
water. If one wants it sweeter or sourer than these quantities will 
make it, more of the needed ingredients may be put in. It is a 
cooling drink and almost as good as lemonade, some preferring it.. 

Beery Sherbet. 
Crush one pound of berries, add them to one quart of water, one- 
lemon sliced, and one teaspoonful of orange flavor, if you have it. 
Let these ingredients stand in an earthen bowl for three hours; then 
strain, squeezing all the juice out of the fruit. Dissolve one pound 
of powdered sugar in it, strain again, and put on the ice until ready- 
to serve. . ' 

Excellent Mead. 
Three pounds brown sugar, one pint of molasses, one-fourth 
pound tartaric acid; mix, pour over them two quarts boiling water^ 
stir till dissolved. When cold, add half ounce essence sassafras 
and bottle. When you wish to drink it, put three tablespoonfuls 
of it in a tumbler, fill half full with ice water, add a little more 
than one-fourth teaspoonful soda. An excellent summer beverage. 



CHAPTER IX. 

EGGS AND OMELETTES. 

^IFGGS of various kinds are largely used as food for man, and it 
't is scarcely jDossible to exaggei'ate their value in this capacity, 
^'"^ so simple and convenient are they in their form and so mani- 



fold may be their transformations. They are exceedingly delicious, 
liio-hly nutritious and easy of digestion, and when the shell is 
included they may be said to contain in themselves all that is 
required for the construction of the body. It has been claimed for 
them that they may be served in about six hundred ways, although 
it is generally found that the more simply they are j^repared the 
more they are approved. Although other eggs besides birds' eggs 
are eaten it is generally agreed that the eggs of the common fowl 
and of the plover possess the sweetest and richest flavor. The 
eggs of ducks and geese are frequently used in cookery, but they 
are of too coarse a nature to be eaten alone. The eggs of the 
turkey and of the peahen are highly esteemed for some purposes* 
The weight of an ordinary new-laid hen's egg is from one and a 
half to two and a half ounces avoirdupois, and the quantity of solid 
matter contained in it amounts to two hundred grains. In one 
hundred parts about ten parts consist o£. shell, sixty of white and 
thirty of yolk. The white of the egg contains more water than the 
yolk. It contains no fatty matter but consists chiefly of albumen 
in a dissolved state. All the fatty matter of the egg is accumulated 
in the yolk, which contains relatively a smaller proportion of nitro- 
genous matter and a larger proportion of solid matter than the 
^hite. Therefore, in an alimentary point of view the white and 

149 



150 EGGS AND OMELETTES. 

the yolk differ considerably from each other, the former being, 
mainly a simple solution of albumen, the latter being a solution of 
a modified form of albumen together with a quantity of fat. 

Raw and lightly boiled eggs are easy of digestion. It is said 
that raw eggs are more easily digested than cooked ones; but this 
may be doubted if the egg is not over-cooked. A hard-boiled e(rg 
presents a decided resistance to gastric solution, and has constipa- 
tory action on the bowels. 

Bkeaded Eggs. 
Boil hard and cut in round, thick slices; pepper and salt and dip 
each in beaten raw egg, then in fine bread crumbs or powdered 
cracker crumbs and fry in butter, hissing hot. Drain off every 
drop of grease and serve hot. 

Egg a la Mode. 
Remove the skin from a dozen tomatoes, medium size, cut them 
up in a saucepan, add a little buttei*, pepper and salt; when suffi- 
ciently boiled, beat up five or six eggs, and just before you serve, 
turn them into the saucepan with the tomato, and stir one way for 
two minutes, allowing them time to be well done. 

How TO Bake Eggs. 

Butter a clean, smooth saucepan, break as many eggs as will be 
needed into a saucer, one by one. If found good, slip it into the 
dish. No broken yolk allowed, nor must they crowd so as to risk 
breaking the yolk after being put in. Put a small piece of butter on 
each, and sprinkle with pepper and salt. Set into a well-heated 
oven, and bake till the whites are set. If the oven is rightly heated, 
it will take but a few minutes, and is far more delicate than fried 
eggs. 

Egg Baskets. 

Boil quite hard as many eggs as will be needed. Put into cold 
water till cold, then cut neatly into halves with a thin, sharp knife; 
remove the yolk and rub to a paste with some melted butter, 



EGGS AND OMELETTES. 151 

adding pepper and salt. Cover np this paste and set aside till the 
filling is ready. Take cold roast duck, chicken, or turkey which 
may be on hand, chop fine and pound smooth, and while pounding 
mix in the paste prepared from the yolks. As you pound moisten 
with melted butter and some gravy which may have been left over 
from the fowls; set this paste when done over hot water till well 
heated. Cut off a small slice from the end of the empty halves of 
the whites so they will stand firm, then fill them with this paste; 
place them close together on a flat, round dish, and pour over the 
rest of the gravy, if any remains, or make a little fresh. A few 
spoonfuls of cream or rich milk improves this dressing. 

To Pickle Eggs. 

Sixteen eggs, one quart of vinegar, one-half oimce of black 
pepper, one-half ounce Jamaica pepper, one-half ounce of ginger; 
boil the eggs twelve minutes; dip in cold water and take off the 
shell; put the vinegar with the pepper and ginger into a stew pan 
and simmer ten minutes; place the eggs in a jar, pour over the 
seasoned vinegar boiling hot, and when cold tie them down with a 
bladder to exclude the air; ready for use in a month. 

Scrambled Eggs. 
Heat the spider and put in a little butter; have the eggs broken 
into a dish, salt and pepper them; add a small piece of butter; 
beat up just enough to break the eggs, then pour into the buttered 
spider; scrape them up from the bottom with a thin knife to 
prevent their cooking fast. Do not cook too dry. 

To Poach Eggs. 
Have the water well salted, and do not let it boil hard. Break the 
eggs separately into a saucer, and slip gently into the water; when 
nicely done, remove with a skimmer, trim neatly, and lay each egg 
upon a small thin square of buttered toast, then sprinkle with salt 
and pepper. Some persons prefer them poached, rather than fried,, 
with ham; in which case substitute the ham for toast. 



152 EGGS AXD OMELETTES. 

Stuffed Eggs. 

Boil the eggs hard, remove the shells, and then cut in two either 
way, as preferred. Remove the yolks, and mix with them pepper, 
salt, and a little dry mustcrd — some like cold chicken, ham, or 
tongue chopped very fine — and then stuff the cavities, smooth them, 
and put the halves together again. For picnics they can simply be 
wrapped in tissrte pajjer to keep them together. If for home use, 
they can be egged, and bread-crumbed, and browned in boiling 
lard; drain and garnish with parsley. 

Omelette, 

First have fresh eggs, not omelette eggs (in restaurants all eggs 
that will not in any way do to boil, are put aside for omelettes), 
break the eggs in a bowl and to every egg add a tablespoonful of 
milk and whip the whole as thoroughly as you would for sponge 
cake. The omelette pan must be so hot that butter will melt almost 
brown in it but not quite. Then run the whipped egg and milk 
into the pan and put it directly over the fire. Take a thin-bladed 
knife and run it carefully under the bottom of the omelette so as to 
let that which is cooked get above. If the fire is right the whole 
mass will swell and puff and cook in just about one minute. Watch 
carefully that it does not burn. It is not necessary to wait till the 
whole mass is solid as its own heat will cook it after it has left the 
pan, but begin at one side and carefully roll the edge over and over 
till it is all rolled up, then let it stand a moment to brown. Turn 
out on a hot jjlate and serve immediately. 

Omelette, No. 2. 

'Six eggs, one tablespoonful of flour, one cup of milk, a pinch of 
salt; beat the whites and yolks separately; mix the flour, milk and 
ealt, add the yolks, then add beaten whites. Have a buttered 
spider very hot; put in. Bake in a quick oven five minutes. 



EGGS AND OMELETTES. 153 

Applb Omelette. 

Eight large apples, four eggs, one cup of sugar, one tablespoon- 
iul of butter, nutmeg or cinnamon to taste. Stew the apples and 
anash fine; add butter and sugar; when cold, add the eggs, well 
beaten. Bake until brown, and eat while warm. 

Baked Omelette. 

Set one-half pint of milk on the fire and stir in one-half cup of 
flour mixed with a little cold milk and salt; when scalding hot, beat 
the yolks of six eggs and add them; stir in whites and set imme- 
diately in the oven. Bake twenty minutes and serve as soon as 
-done. 

Oyster Omelette. 

Allow for every six large oysters or twelve small ones, one egg; 
remove the hard part and mince the rest very fine; take the yolks 
of eight eggs and whites of four, beat till very light; then mix in 
the oysters, season and beat all up thoroughly; put into a skillet a 
^ill of butter, let it melt; when the butter boils, skim it and turn 
in the omelette; stir until it stiffens, fry light brown; when the 
under side is brown, turn on to a hot platter. If wanted the upper 
side brown, hold a red-hot shovel over it. 

Omelette Souffle. 

Stir five tablespoonfuls of sifted flour into three pints of milk, 
strain through a sieve; add the yolks of eight eggs, beaten very 
light; and, just as it goes into the oven, the whites beaten stiff. 
Bake quickly. 

French Omelette. 

One quart of milk, one pint of bread crumbs, five eggs, one table- 
spoonful of flour, one onion chopped fine, chopped parsley, season 
with pepper and salt. Have butter melted in a spider; when the 
omelette is brown, turn it over. Double when served. 



ir>4 



EGGS AND OMELETTES. 



Omelette with Ham. 
Make a plain omelette, and just before turning one-half over the 
other, sprinkle over it some finely chopped ham. Garnish with 
small slices of ham. Jelly or marmalade may be added in the same 
manner. 

EG(iS A LA Bonne Femme. 
Take six large eggs, boil them ten minutes; when cool, remove the 
shells carefully; divide them equally in halves, take out the yolks, and 

cut off from each the pointed 
tip of the white, that they 
may stand flatly. Make tiny 
dice of some cold chicken,, 
ham, boiled beet root, and 
the eggs. Fill the hollows 
with these up to the brim, 
and pile the dice high in the center — ^two of ham and chicken, two 
of boiled beetroot, and two with the hard yolks. Arrange some 
neatly cut lettuce on a dish and place the eggs amongst it. 






CHAPTER X. 

FRESH FRUITS. 

^^ Pine Apples. 

^^LICE on a slaw cutter, ox- very thin with a knife; mix with 

^^ finely-powdered sugar. Set on ice till ready to serve. 

A Nice Way to Prepare Apples. 
Pare a dozen tart apples, take out the core, place sugar, with a 
small lump of butter, in the center of each apple, put them in a pan 
with half a pint of water, bake until tender, basting occasionally 
with the syrup while baking; when done, serve with cream. 

To Stew Apples. 
One pound sugar boiled in one quart of spring water and 
skimmed, one pound of the largest pippins, cut in quarters and the 
cores taken out. Have the syrup boiling; when you put them in 
let them stew till they are quite tender, then add the juice of two 
large lemons, and the peel cut small; give them a few more boils 
after the lemons are put in. If you want them to keep all the year, 
the syrup must be well boiled after the apples are taken out. As 
you peel the apples fling them into cold water. 

Bananas and Cream. 
Peel, slice, and heap up in a glass dessert-dish, and serve raw, 
with fine sugar and cream. 

To Crystallize Fruit. 
Pick out the finest of any kind of fruit^leave in the stones; 
beat the whites of three eggs to a stiff froth; lay the fruit in the 

155 



156 FRESH FRUITS. 

beaten egg, with the stems upward; drain them and beat the part 
that drips ojff again; select them out, one by one, and dip them into 
i, cup of finely-powdered sugar; cover a pan with a sheet of fine 
paper, place the fruit on it, and set it in a cool oven; when the 
icing on the fruit becomes firm, pile them on a dish, and set them 
in a cold place. 

To Keep Grapes. 

Select nice fresh clusters, and cut the end of the stem smooth 
and dip it into melted sealing wax; then put it in cotton batting; 
pack them away in wooden boxes; keep them in a dry cool place. 
In this way they will keep fresh all winter. Another way — Take 
full bunches, ripe and perfect; seal the end that is cut from the 
vine so that no air can get in, or the juice of the stem run out, and 
let them stand one day after sealed, so as to be perfectly sure they 
are sealed (if not they will shrivel up) ; then pack in boxes of dry 
sawdust and keep in a cool place; they will keep nicely all winter 
without losing their flavor; in packing, do not crowd the bunches; 
: sprinkle the sawdust oyer the bottom of the box, then lay the 
grapes carefully, a bunch at a time, all over the box, then sawdust 
and grapes alternately until the box is full. 

Melons. 
Melons are much nicer if kept on ice until time for serving. Cut 
off a slice at each end of the water-melon, then cut through the 
center; stand on end on platter. Cantaloupe melons should have 
the seeds removed before sending to the table. Eat with a spoon- 
ful of strained honey in each half of melon. 

Oranges. 

Slice, mix with powdered sugar, and strew grated cocoa-nut over 

the top. Are also nice served whole, the skins quartered and 

turned down. Form in a pyramid with bananas and white grapes. 

Candied Cherries. 

Two quarts large, ripe, red cherries, stoned carefully; two pounds 

loaf sugar, one cup water. Make a syrup of the sugar and water 



FRESH FRUITS. 157' 

and boil until it is thick enough to " pull," as for candy. Remove 
to the side of the range, and stir until it shows signs of granula- 
tion. It is well to stir frequently while it is cooking, to secure this 
end. When there are grains or crystals on the spoon, drop in the 
cherries, a few at a time. Let each supply \ie in the boiling syrup 
two minutes, when remove to a sieve set over a dish. Shake gently 
but long, then turn the cherries out upon a cool, broad dish, and, 
dry in a sunny window. 

Stewed Peaks. 
Peel pears. Place them in a little water, with sugar, cloves,, 
cinnamon and lemon peel. Stew gently, and add one glass of cider. 
Dish up cold. 

Glace Cherries. 

Make as above, but do not let the syrup granulate. It should 
not be stirred at all, but when it " ropes " pour it over the cherries, 
which should be spread out upon a large flat dish. When the 
syrup is almost cold, take these out, one by one, with a teaspoon, 
and spread upon a dish to dry in the open air. If nicely managed, 
these are nearly as good as those put up by professional confec- 
tioners. Keep in a dry, cool place. ^ 

Candied Lemon-Peel. 

Twelve fresh, thick-skinned lemons, four pounds loaf sugar, a 
little powdered alum, three cups clear water. Cut the peel from 
the lemons in long, thin strips^ and lay in strong salt and water all 
night. Wash them in three waters next morning, and boil them 
until tender in soft water. They should be almost translucent, but 
not so soft as to break. Dissolve a little alum — about half a tea- 
spoonful, when powdered — in enough cold water to cover the peel, 
and let it lie in it for two hours. By this time the syrup should be 
ready. Stir the sugar into three cups of water, add the strained 
juice of three lemons and boil it until it " ropes " from the end of 
the spoon. Put the lemon-peels into this, simmer gently half aaa 



158 FRESH FRUITS. 

hour; take them out and spread upon a sieve. Shake, not hard, 
but often, tossing up the peels now and then, until they are almost 
dry. Sift granulated sugar over them and lay out upon a table 
spread with a clean cloth. Admit the air freely, and, when per- 
fectly dry, pack in a glass jar. 



CHAPTER XL 



CANNING FRUIT. 



'OR the benefit of those thrifty housewives who have fruit of 
their own which they wish to save, or who think that any 
preparation of food made outside of the home kitchen, and 
l)randed " factory make," should be considered " common and 
unclean," we append a few recipes which will be found in every 
way satisfactory. 

The canning industry has grown within the few years of its 
existence to such enormous dimensions and includes so great a 
variety of articles, and competition is so sharp among the different 
^rras who make it a specialty, that in point of expense it is cheaper 
to buy on the market than to purchase the fruit and be to the 
trouble and further expense of canning it at home. 

There is, probably, no one thing which has done more to drive 
stern winter beyond the threshold than this simple but late-discov- 
ered process of keeping fruit fresh by excluding the air, and there 
is genuine satisfaction in contemplating the rows of cans filled with 
the different kinds of fruit, showing clear and distinct through the 
glass, and we are conservative enough to hope that the time will 
not come when the business of canning fruit shall be relegated, 
entirely, into the hands of the mercenary factory owner with his 
tin can with its overdrawn label. 

General Directions. 
First. See that the cans and elastics are perfect and that the 
screw fits properly. Second. Have fruit boiling hot when sealed. 

159 



160 



CANNING FRUIT. 



Have pan on stove in which each empty can is set to be filled after 
it is rolled in hot water. Fill can to overflowing, put on the top 
quickly, screw tightly; as contents cool, screw again and again, to 
keep tight. Third. Use glass cans, and keep in a cool, dark, but 
dry place. Light spoils them. 



Table foe Canning Fruit. 

Time for 
boiling 
fruit. 

Apricots 10 min. 

Sour Apples 10 

Crab Apples 25 

Blackberries 6 

Gooseberries 8 

Raspberries 6 

Huckleberries 5 

Strawberries 8 

Cherries 5 

Currants 6 

Wild Grapes 10 

Sour Pears, whole 30 

Bartlett Pears 20 

Peaches, in halves 8 

Plums 10 

Peaches, whole 15 

Pine-apple, sliced 15 

Tomatoes 30 

Quinces 30 

Rhubarb 10 



Quantity 
of sugar 
per qt. 

8 OZ. 
6 " 




10 
10 



Apple Sauce. 
Ready for table use or for pies may be kept till apples are out of 
the market by putting it into hot jars and sealing at once. 

Canned Pine- apple. 
Pare the fruit and be very particular to cut out the eyes; chop 
fine and weigh it; add to it the same weight of sugar; mix thor- 
oughly in a large crock; let it stand twenty-four hours, then put 



CANNING FRUIT. 161 

into cans, filling them full, and seal tight. After leaving them 
about two weeks it is well to see if there are any signs of working; 
if so, pour into a kettle and heat through and replace in the cans. 

Canned Pine-apple, No. 2. 

Three-fourths pound of sugar to one pound of fruit, allowing one 
cup of water to a pound of sugar. Piek the pine-apple to pieces 
with a silver fork; scald and can hot. 

Canned Berries. 
Heat slowly to boiling in a porcelain kettle; when they begin ta 
boil, add sugar according to table above. Before doing this, how- 
ever, if there is much juice in the kettle, dip out the surplus and 
save for jelly; it will only increase the number of cans. Leave the 
berries almost dry before putting in the sugar, this will make syrup 
enough. Boil all together and can. 

Canned Pears. 
Prepare a syrup, allowing a pint of water and one-fourth pound 
of sugar to one quart of fruit. While this is heating peel the pears, 
dropping each as it is pared into a pan of clear water. When the 
syrup has come to a fast boil, put in the pears carefully and boil 
until they look clear and can be easily pierced by a fork. Have the 
cans ready rolled in hot water; pack with the pears and fill to over- 
flowing with the scalding syrup, which must be kept on the fire all 
the while, and seal. The tougher and more common pears must be 
boiled in water until tender, and thrown while warm into the hot 
syrup, then allowed to boil ten minutes before they are canned. 

Canned Peaches. 
Pare, cut in half and stone, taking care not to break the fruit; 
drop each piece in cold Avater as soon as it is pared. Allow ^ 
heaping tablespoonful of sugar to each quart of fruit, scattering it 
between the layers. Fill your kettle and heat slowly to a boil. 
Boil three minutes, until every piece of fruit is heated through. 



162 CANNING FRUIT. 

Can and seal. Put a cup of water in the bottom of the kettle 
before packing it with fruit, lest the lower layer should burn. 

Dried Peaches. 
Peaches, as usually dried, are a very good fruit; but can be made 
vastly better if treated the right way. Last season, the recipe 
which had quite a circulation in the papers, of drying the fruit by 
a stove after halving it, and sprinkling a little sugar into the cavity 
left by the extracted pits, was tried in our family. The fruit was 
found to be most excellent; better to the taste of nine out of ten 
persons, than any other peach preserves, by far. The peaches, 
however, were good ones before drying; for it is doubtful whether 
poor fruit can be made good by that process or any other. 



CHAPTER XII. 



ICES AND ICE-CREAMS. 

j.SE only the best materials for making and flavoring if good 
ice-cream is desired, and avoid using milk thickened with 
arrow-root, corn starch or any other farinaceous substance. 
Pure cream, ripe natural fruits, or the extracts of the same, and 
sugar or the purest quality, combine to make a perfect ice-cream. 
In the first place secure a good ice-cream freezer. Of these several 
are made. Without recommending any particular make, we would 
suggest one be secured working with a crank and revolving dashers. 
Next secure an ice tub not less than eight inches greater in diame- 
ter than the freezer. See that it has a hole in the side near the 
bottom, with a plug, which can be drawn at pleasure, to let off 
water accumulating from melting ice. Get a spatula of hard wood 
— not metal — with a blade about twelve inches long and four or 
■five inches wide and oval shaped at the end. This is used to scrape 
off cream which may adhere to the sides of the freezer in the process 
of freezing, also for woi'kiug fruits and flavorings into the cream. 
A smaller spade is also necessary for mixing ice and salt together, 
and for depositing this mixture in the intervening space between 
can and ice tub. Ice must be pounded fine in a coarse, strong bag. 
To freeze the cream after it has been flavored, first pound up ice 
and mix with it a quantity of coarse salt, in the proportion of one- 
third the quantity of salt to the amount of ice used. Put freezing 
can in center of tub, taking care that the lid is securely fastened on, 
and pile the mixed ice and salt around it on inside of tub to within 
three inches of top. First turn the crank slowly, and as the cream 

163 



164 ICES AND ICE-CKEAMS. 

hardens increase the speed until tlie mixture is thoroughly con- 
gealed and the revolving dashers are frozen in. Remove the lid, 
take out the dashers, cut away the cream which has adhered to the 
sides and proceed to work the mixture with the spatula until it is 
smooth and soft to the tongue. Re-insert the dashers, cover the 
can again, and work the crank until the entire contents are hard 
and well set. It is now ready to be served. 

Beery Cream. 
Any kind of berries may be used for this, strawberries being the 
nicest. Mash with a potato masher in an earthen bowl, one quart 
of berries with one pound of sugar; rub it through the colander; 
add one quart sweet cream and freeze. Very rijDC peaches or 
mashed apples may be used instead of the berries. 

Burnt Sugar Ice-Cream. 
Take one-half poimd of sugar, burn half of it in a sauce-pan or 
skillet; stir in sufficient water to bring to a liquid state; add the 
other sugar with one pint of milk containing four eggs well beaten. 
Flavor strongly with lemon, proceed as with other ices. 

Chocolate Ice-Cream. 
Use three or four ounces of the common unsweetened chocolate 
to a gallon of cream, or boiled custard. Boil the chocolate in some 
milk and sweeten to taste; strain it into the cream and flavor with 
vanilla. Beat the ice-cream to make it bright and rich colored. 
Melted chocolate cannot be mixed at once in cold cream as it sets 
and makes trouble. It must be considerably diluted first. 

Coffee Ice-Cream, 

To three quarts of pure, sweet cream add one pint of a decoction 

of very strong clear coffee. Sugar as usual — eight ounces to the 

quart. 

Lemon Ice-Cream. 

This is made with the same proportion of cream and sugar and 
one lemon; grate the lemon rind into the sugar; this extracts the 



ICES AND ICE-CREAMS. " 165 

oil; then add the juice and the I'aw cream; strain and freeze imme- 
diately. Lemon cream sours piore quickly than any other. 

Peach Ice-Ckeam. 
Take one quart of milk, two eggs, sugar to taste, one quart of 
peaches pared and stoned — mash and add to the austard. Proceed 
as usual. 

Pine-Apple Ice-Ceeam. 
Take two cans of pine-apples, two pounds of sugar, two quarts 
of cream (the cream must be nearly frozen, else the pine-apple pulp 
or syrup, upon being added, will immediately curdle it). Beat all 
thoroughly and finish freezing, 

Oeaxge Ice-Ceeam. 
Make a custard same as for vanilla; add orange pulp, or simply 
flavor with orange, if preferred. 

Steawbeeey and Raspbeeet Ice-Ceeam. 

Bruise a pint of strawberries or raspberries with two large 
spoonfuls of fine sugar; add a quart of cream and strain through a 
sieve and freeze it. If you have no cream, boil a teaspoonful of 
arrowroot in a quart of milk, and if you like, beat up one egg and 
stir into it. 

' Vanilla Ice-Ceeam. 

One quart of cream, half a pound of sugar, granulated, half a 
vanilla bean. Boil half the cream with the sugar and bean, then 
add the rest of the cream; cool and strain it. If extract of vanilla, 
or any other extract is used, do not boil it, but put it in the cream 
ivith the sugar and freeze. Make it strong with the flavoring, as it 
loses strength with freezing. 

CocoANiJT Ice-Ceeam. 

Same as vanilla, omitting vanilla flavoring, and adding chopped 
•cocoanut. 



166 ICES AND ICE-CREAMS. 

Fkozen Tapioca Custard. 
Soak six or seven ounces of tapioca in one quart of milk; when 
soft, boil two quarts of milk sweetened with one and one-fourth 
pounds of sugar; then add the tapioca and let it cook fifteen min- 
utes; then stir in two ounces of butter and eight beaten eggs and 
take the custard immediately off the fire; cool and flavor with 
vunilla or lemon and freeze like ice-cream; when nearly finished, 
aiia one cup of whipped cream and beat well. 

Frozen Rice Custard. 
Wash six ounces of rice in several waters and cook it in milk; 
then proceed as in tapioca custard, using cinnamon or any other 
flavoring desired. 

Frozen Sago Custard. 
Soak the sago in cold milk first, it will then cook in a few 
minutes; then proceed as in tapioca custard. 

Water-Ices. 
These are made with the juices of ripe fruits, sweetened and 
frozen like ice-cream; but it must be remembered that if the juices 
are sweetened excessively they will not freeze. It is therefore 
generally necessary to test them with an instrument called a 
saccharometer. This applies equally to ice-creams and all drinks 
to be frozen; and for water-ices clarified sugar should be used, 
which may be prepared in the following manner: To a quart of 
water add three pounds of sugar and half of the white of an egg^ 
well beaten up. This should be boiled ten minutes and skimmed. 

Cherry Water-Ice with Nut Cream. 
Two freezers will loe required. For the cherry ice take two 
quarts of sweet cherries, one quart of water, one and one-half 
pounds of sugar. Pound the raw fruit in a mortar so as to break 
the stones and strain the juice through a fine strainer into the 
freezer. Boil the cherry pulp with some of the sugar and water to 



ICES AND ICE-CREAMS. 167 

extract the flavor from the kernels, and mash that also through the 
strainer; add to the remainder of water and sugar and freeze. No 
eggs are needed and only beat the ice enough to make it even and 
smooth. 

For the nut cream, use one pound of either pecan or hickory-nut 
meats, three-fourths of a pound of sugar, one quart of rich milk 
or cream, one tablespoonf ul of burnt sugar for coloring. Pick over 
the kernels carefully, that there be no fragments of shells to make 
the cream gritty, then pound them in a mortar with part of the 
sugar and a few spoonfuls of milk. Only a few can be pounded 
effectually at a time. Mix the milk with the pulp thus obtained, 
the rest of the sugar and caramel coloring, enough to make it like 
coffee and cream, and run it through a strainer into a freezer. 
Freeze it as usual and beat smooth with a spatula, then pack down 
with more ice to freeze firm. Line the moulds with cherry ice and 
fill the middle with the cream, or dish the ice as a border in shallow 
glasses with the cream piled in the c6nter. 

Straavberry "Water-Ice. 
To a pound of ripe strawberries and half a pound of currants add 
a pint of clarified sugar. If desired, a little coloring may be used.. 
The whole must then be strained through a hair sieve and frozen^ 

Raspberry Water-Ice. 
This may be made the same as strawberry water-ice by merely 
substituting raspberries for strawberries. 

Bfrstt Almond Ice Cream and Orange-Ice. 
First make the almond candy as follows: Take one pound of 
sugar, three-fourths pound of sweet almonds, two ounces of bitter 
almonds. Blanch the almonds, split them and put them in a slow 
oven to dry and acquire a light yellow color; put the sugar in a 
kettle on the fire, without any water, and stir it until it is all melted 
and of the color of golden syrup; then put in the hot almonds, stir 
gently to mix and pour the candy on a platter. When cold, pound 
the candy quite fine, put it into three pints of rich milk, set it on 



1G8 ICES AND ICE-CKEAMS. 

the fire, and when it boils add tlie beaten yolks of ten eggs. Strain 
the burnt almond custard thus made into a freezer, and freeze as 
usual and beat well. 

For the orange ice: Take three pints of water, one pound of 
sugar, five or six oranges, according to size, juice of one lemon, if 
the oranges are sweet, whites of four eggs. Make a thick syrup of 
the sugar and a very little water. Peel half the oranges, divide 
them by their natural divisions and drop the pieces of oranges into 
the boiling syrup. Grate the yellow peel of the other three oranges 
into a bowl and squeeze in the juice, then pour the syrup from the 
scalded orange slices also into the bowl through a strainer and keep 
the slices on ice to be mixed in at the last. Add the water and 
lemon juice to the orange syrup in the bowl, strain and freeze. 
Beat in the whipped whites as usual, and when finished stir in the 
suo-ared fruit. Use the burnt almond cream and fill with the 
orange ice. 

Biscuit Glaces. 

To half a pound of powdered sugar add the yolks of four eggs; 
flavor with vanilla; beat well, then take two quarts of whipped 
cream and mix with the sugar and yolks; color some of it red and 
spread on the bottom of paper capsules and fill up with fresh cream. 
Then put them in* a tin box with cover and pack well up on all sides 
with pounded ice and salt and let stand for two hours; it is then 
ready for use. 

Rateffe Biscuit Cream. 

Make the same as vanilla; when nearly frozen add one-half pound 
of rateffe biscuit and finish freezing. 

TuTTi Frutti. 

^hen a rich vanilla cream is partly frozen, candied cherries, 
<3hopped raisins, chopped citron or any other candied fruit chopped 
rather fine are added; add about half the quantity of fruit that 
"there is of ice-cream; mold and imbed in ice and salt; or make also 
Iwo quarts of orange ice in another freezer, add the white of eggs 



ICES AND ICE-CREAMS. ^ 169 

• in the usual manner and beat it up white and smooth, then spread 
it evenly over the insides of two or three melon molds to coat them. 
Imbed the molds in the freezing mixture, and when the coating of 
orange ice is frozen firm fill up with the tutti frutti. Spread the 
orange ice also on top, put on the lids, secure with a number of 
rubber bands, close all spaces secui-ely with butter and place the 
molds in the freezing mixture to remain two or three hours. When 
to be served wash the outsides with a cloth dipped in tepid water, 
carefully turn out the tutti frutti on to a folded napkin on a dish, 
lay a decoration of gelatine paste upon the white surface and serve. 

Gelatine Paste for Ornamenting Ices. 
Make clear jelly in the usual manner, then reduce it by slow 
boiling to little more than half, color it as desired, filter again, 
flavor, and cool it on large platters. Stamp out leaves, fern leaves, 
flower shapes, etc., and have them ready to place on the molded 
ices as soon as they are turned out. 

Pine-Apple Sherbet. 

Take two cans of pine-apples or the same amount of ripe pine- 
apples, two pounds of sugar, two quarts of water, whites of six 
eggs. Strain the juice from the cans into the freezer. Make a 
boiling syrup of the sugar and one quart of water. Chop the pine- 
apples small, scald it in the boiling syrup, then rub it through a 
colander with the syrup and the remaining quart of water into the 
freezer. Freeze and add the whites of four eggs, and beat it per- 
:fectly white. 

To Color Ice Cream or Water Ices. 

For Green, use juice of spinach or beet leaves. Vegetable green, 
already prepared, can be bought at the druggists. 

For Yellow, saffron soaked in warm water. 

For Red, take cochineal, which can be had at any druggists, or 
made as follows: One-quarter ounce cochineal, pound finely and add 
one-half pint boiling water, one-half ounce cream of tartar, one-quar- 



170 ICES AND ICE-CREAMS. 

ter ounce alum, and one-quarter ounce salt of tartar. Let it stand 
until the color is extracted, then strain and bottle. 

For Purple, mix a small quantity of cochineal and ultramarine 
blue. 

For Brown, use powdered chocolate. 

Other colors can be used, but these are all good, showy and quite 
harmless. 



CHAPTER XIII. 

ICINGS. 

'or icing cakes use only fresh eggs and sift your pulverized 
sugar. 

Almond Icing. 

Whites of three eggs, whisked to a standing froth, three-quarters 
pound of powdered sugar, one-half pound of sweet almonds, 
blanched and pounded to a paste. When beaten fine and smooth, 
work gradually into the icing; flavor with lemon juice and rose 
water. This frosting is delicious. Dry in the open air when this 
is practicable. 

Boiled Icing. 

One and one-half cups of sugar; put to this two tablespoonfuls 
of water; let it boil on the back of the stove until it is waxy, or 
stringy; then add whites of two eggs. 

Boiled Icing, No. 2. 

Whites of four eggs, beaten stiff; one pint of sugar, melted in 
water and then boiled; add to it the eggs, and beat until cold. 

Chocolate Icing. 

Take the whites of two eggs, one and one-half cups powdered 
sugar, and six large tablespoonfuls of chocolate. 

Chocolate Icing, No. 2. 

One-half cake of chocolate grated fine, two-thirds of a cup of 
sugar, one-half cup of milk or cream; boiled and stirred to a paste. 

171 



172 ICINGS. 

Chocolate Icing, No. 3. 
One-half cake chocolate; warm in the oven ten minutes; add one 
heapino; cup of sugar, one teaspoonful cinnamon, one-half teaspoon- 
ful cloves, the same of ginger, two teaspoonfuls of vanilla; pour a 
little water on the sugar, put it on the chocolate, heat on the stove, 
melt it to a smooth paste, stir in the spices. 

Clear Icing, fob Cake. 
Put one cup sugar into a bowl with a tablespoonful lemon juice 
and whites of two eggs. Just mix together smooth and pour over 
the cake; if the cake is not hot enough to dry it, place it in the 
mouth of a moderately warm oven. 

Icing for Cakes. 
Whites of four eggs, one pound of pulverized sugar, flavor with 
lemon; break the whites into a broad, cool, clean dish; throw a 
small handful of sugar upon them and begin to whip it in with 
long, even strokes of the beater. A few minutes later throw in 
more si;gar and keep adding it at intervals until it is all used up. 
Beat until the icing is of a smooth, fine and firm texture; if not 
stiff enough, put in more sugar; use at least a quarter of a pound 
of sugar for each egg. To spread it, use a broad-bladed knife 
dipped in cold water. 

TuTTi Frtjtti Frosting. 
One-half cup of water, three cups of sugar, whites of two eggs; 
boil sugar and water until very thick and waxy; beat the whites of 
eggs to a stiff froth, and pour the syrap over them, beating all till 
cool; then add one-half pound of almonds, chopped fine; one small 
half cup of large white raisins, and a little citron, sliced thin. 
Very nice for sponge cake. 

Lemon Icing. 
Whites of two eggs, two cups of sugar, juice and a part of the 
-rind of two lemons. 



ICINGS. 173 

Ornamental Icing. 
Fill a paper cone with the icing, and work upon the cake, by 
slightly pressing the cone, any design you may choose. 

Yellow Icing. 

Yolk of one egg to nine heaping teaspoonfuls of pulverized sugar 
and flavor with vanilla, or lemon. 

Rose Coloring. 
Mix together one-fourth ounce each of powdered alum and cream 
of tartar, one ounce cochineal, four ounces loaf sugar, a saltspoon- 
ful of soda. Boil ten minutes in a pint of clear, soft water; when 
cool, bottle and cork for use. This is used for jellies, cakes, ice- 
cream, etc. 



CHAPTER XIV. 

JAMS AND JELLIES. 

•N making jam, the first thing to be looked after is the fruit. As 
a general rule, this should be fully ripe, fresh, sound, and 
scrupulously clean and dry. It should be gathered in the 
morning of a sunny day, as it will then possess its finest flavor. 
The best sugar is the cheapest; indeed, there is no economy in 
stinting the sugar either as to quality or necessary quantity, for 
inferior sugar is wasted in scum, and the jam will not keep unless a 
sufticient proportion of sugar is boiled with the fruit. At the same 
time too large a proportion of sugar will destroy the natural flavor 
of the fruit, and in all probability make the jam candy. The sugar 
should be dried and broken up into small pieces before it is mixed 
with the fruit. If it is left in large lumps it will be a long time in 
dissolving, and if it is crushed to powder it will make the jam look 
thick instead of clear and bright. The quantity to be used must 
depend in every instance on the nature of the fruit. Fruit is gen- 
erally boiled in a brass or copper kettle uncovered, and this should 
be kept perfectly bright and clean. Great care should be taken 
not to place the kettle flat upon the fire, as this will be likely to 
make the jam burn to the bottom. Glass jars or cans are much the 
best for jams, as through them the condition of the fruit can be 
observed. Whatever jars are used, however, the jam should be 
examined every three weeks for the first two months, and if there 
are any signs of niold or fermentation it should be boiled over 
again. If you do not use the patent glass jar, the best way to cover 
jam is to lay a piece of paper the size of the jar upon the jam, to 

174 



JAMS AND, JELLIES. 175 

stretch over the top a piece of writing paper or tissue j^aper which 
has been dipped in white of egg, and to press the sides closely 
down. When dry, this paper will be stiff and tight like a drum. 
The strict economist may use gum Arabic dissolved in water instead 
of white of egg. The object aimed at is to exclude the air entirely. 
Jam should be stored in a cool, dry place, but not in one into 
^vhich fresh air never enters. Damp has a tendency to make the 
fruit mold, and heat to make it ferment. Some cooks cover the 
jam as soon as possible after it is poured out, but the generally- 
approved plan is to let the fruit grow cool before covering it. In 
making jam continual watchfulness is required, as the result of five 
minutes' inattention may be loss and disappointment. 

Apricot Jam. 

Pare three pounds of fresh, sound apricots, halve them, and take 
out the stones. They should be ripe enough to halve with the 
fingers. Place them in a deep dish, and strew over them one pound 
of finely sifted sugar. Let them remain for eight hours. Then 
place them with the syrup that will have oozed from them in a 
preserving-pan; add a few of the kei-nels blanched and sliced, and 
another pound and a half of sugar. Let them boil very gently, 
and, when done, put them into glasses or jars and cover closely with 
gummed paper. 

Marmalades and Jams. 
In making marmalades, jams, etc. — If put up in small quantities 
and for immediate use, three-quarters of a pound of sugar to one 
pound of fruit is sufficient; but if desirable to keep them longer, a 
pound of sugar to a pound of fruit is a better proportion. As in 
preserves, the best sugar should be used. 

Apple Jam. 
Peel and core the apples, cut in thin slices and put them in a 
preserving kettle with three-quarters of a pound of white sugar to 
every pound of fruit; add (tied up in a piece of muslin) a few 



176 JAMS AND JELLIES. 

cloves, a small piece of ginger and a thin rind of lemon; stir with a. 
wooden spoon on a quick fire for half an hour. 

Blackberry, Raspberry, Currant or Strawberry Jam, 
May be made by putting into a preserving kettle and boiling 
fifteen or twenty minutes, stirring often and skimming off any 
scum that may rise; then add sugar in the proportion of three- 
fourths pound of sugar to one pound of fruit. Boil thirty minutes 
longer stirring continually; when done pour into small jars or jelly 
glasses. A good way is to mix raspberries and currants in the pro- 
portion of two-thirds of the former to one-third of the latter. 

Grape, Gooseberry, or Plum Jam. 

Stew the berries in a little water, press through a coarse sieve or 
colander; then return to the kettle and add three-fourths pound of 
sugar to one pound of the pulped fruit. Boil three-fourths of an 
hour, stirring constantly. Pour in jars or bowls and cover as 
directed for other jams. 

Apple Marmalade. 

Peel and slice the apples; weigh and put into a kettle and stew 
until tender; wash fine and add sugar in proportion of pound to 
pound; let them cook slowly, stirring very frequently; be careful 
not to allow it to scorch; when the mass has a jellied appearance it 
is done. About half an hour will generally be found sufiicient for 
making the marmalades after adding the sugar. 

Orange Marmalade. 

Eighteen sweet, ripe oranges, six pounds best white sugar. Grate 
the peel from four oranges, and reserve it for the marmalade. The 
rinds of the rest will not be needed. Pare the fruit carefully, 
removing the inner white skin as well as the yellow; slice the 
orange; remove the seeds; put the fruit and grated peel in a por- 
celain or enamel saucepan and boil steadily until the pulp is reduced 
to a smooth mass; take from the fire and rub quickly through a. 



JAMS AND JELLIES. 177 

clean, bright colander, as the color is easily injured. Stir in the 
sugar, return to the fire, and boil fast, stirring constantly half an 
hour, or until thick. Put while warm into small jars, but do not 
cover until cold. This is a handsome and delicious sweetmeat. 

Pine-Apple Marmalade. 

Pare, slice, core, and weigh the pine-apple; then cut into small 
bits; make a syrup of a cup of water to two pounds of sugar; melt 
and heat to a boil; heat the chopped pine-apple in a vessel set 
within one of boiling water, covering it closely to keep in the 
flavor; Avlien it is smoking hot all through, and begins to look 
clear, add to the syrup; boil together half an hour, stirring all the 
while, or until it is a clear, bright paste. 

Peach Maemalade. 

Pare, stone, and weigh the fruit; heat slowly to draw out the 
juice, stirring up often from the bottom with a wooden spoon ; after 
it is hot, boil quickly, still stirring, three-quarters of an hour; add, 
then, the sugai', allowing three-quarters of a pound to each pound 
of the fruit; boil up well for five minutes, taking off every particle 
of scum; add the juiTie of a lemon for every three pounds of fruit, 
and the water in which one-fourth of the kernels have been boiled 
and steeped; stew all together ten minutes, stirring to a smooth 
paste, and take from the fire; put up hot in aii'-tight cans, or, when 
cold, in small stone or glass jars, with brandied tissue-paper fitted 
neatly to the surface of the marmalade. A large ripe pine-apple, 
pared and cut up fine, and stirred with the peaches, is a fine addi- 
tion to the flavor. 

Quince Marmalade. 

Such quinces as are too knotty and defective to make good pre- 
serves may be pared and cored, cut into small pieces and put into 
the kettle with three-quarters of a pound of sugar to each pound of 
fruit; put a small cup of cold water in first to j)revent burning. 
When the quince begins to soften, take a potato masher and mash it 

12 



178 JELLIES. 

to a pulp, without taking it from the fire; let it boil gently from 
fifteen to twenty minutes, not longer than twenty. Take from the 
fire and put into jars. 

Strawberries, raspberries, blackberries and grapes all make nice 
marmalades. 

Plum Marmalade. 

Choose plums that are fully ripe; scald them till the skins peel 
off, and take out the stones. Allow a pound and a half of sugar to 
a pound of fruit; let them lie in the sugar a few hours, then boil to 
a smooth mass. 

Pumpkin Marmalade. 

Take ripe, yellow pumpkins, pare and cut them into large pieces, 
scraping out the seeds with an iron spoon; weigh the pieces, and to 
every pound allow one pound of white sugar, and a small orange or 
lemon; grate pieces of pumpkin on a coarse grater, and put, 
together with the sugar, into a preserving pan, the yellow rind of 
the orange, grated, and the juice, strained. Let all boil slowly, 
stirring it frequently and skimming it well till it is a smooth, thick 
marmalade; put it warm into small glass jars or tumblers and lay a 
double round of tissue pa^jer with a bladder or .waxed pajDer. 



JELLIES. 

Apple Jelly. 

Slice the apples, skins, cores and all; put them in a stone jar with 
a small quantity of water to keep them from sticking ; then place 
the jar in water and let them remain boiling until perfectly soft; 
then strain and to one pint of the liquor add three-quarters of a 
pound of loaf sugar; boil and clear with the whites of two or three 
eggs beaten to a froth. When it jellies pour into the glasses to 
cool and seal them. 



JELLIES. 179 

Blackberry Jelly, 

Take blackberi'ies before they are ripe, when they are turned red, 
put them into a porcelain kettle and cook until reduced to a pulp; 
then strain them, and to a pint of juice add one pound of sugar. 
Boil to a jelly. 

Ckanberey Jelly. 

Stew the cranberries until they are tender, then pour into a jelly- 
bag and let drip over night; take one pound of sugar to each pint 
of juice; let the juice boil five minutes, then pour in the sugar and 
stir until thoroughly dissolved. 

Crab-Apple Jelly. 
Boil the fruit whole in water enough to cover it until perfectly 
soft, then pour into a coarse linen bag and let it drip until it ceases, 
then press it a little. Allow one pound of sugar to each pint of 
juice. If you choose add the juice of a lemon to each quart of 
syrup. Boil the juice first, then skim it; heat the sugar in a dish 
in the oven and add it as the juice boils up. Boil gently twenty 
minutes and pour in tumblers or molds. 

Currant Jelly. 
From the Home Messenger we copy the following: This recipe 
is the only one which we will warrant to make good jelly against 
odds. We have made jelly by it on the fifth of July and on the 
fifteenth, and each time it was a perfect success. While we recom- 
mend all persons to make their jelly from fresh fruit, early in the 
season, we can still assure those who are behindhand that they need 
not despair of jelly that will set firm and hard later in the season. 
Run the currants through your hand picking out the leaves and 
any stray thing that may adhere to them but leaving the currants 
on their stems. Weigh the fruit, being accurate in remembering the 
number of pounds. Put a pint of water into your preserving kettle 
and add a bowl or two of currants, mashing and pressing them till 
you have sufficient juice to cover the bottom of the kettle; thea 



180 JELLIES. 

add the remainder of the currants; let them come to a boil and boil 
at least twenty minutes, of course stirring and pressing them from 
time to time that they may not burn. Have a three-col-nered 
bag of thin but strong unbleached cotton that has been well 
scalded and wrung till almost dry; hang it up and pour the boiled 
currants into it. Let it drij) into a stone crock all night, but by no- 
means squeeze it, the currants will drain perfectly dry. In the 
morning pour the strained juice into the preserving kettle without 
measuring; let it come to a boil and boil thorougly for three or 
four minutes, then pour in half as many pounds of sugar as you 
had pounds of currants. For instance, a peck of currants will 
probably weigh twelve pounds; therefore use six pounds of sugar. 
The moment the sugar is entirely dissolved the jelly is done. To 
make sure of the sugar being entirely dissolved see that it begins 
to jelly on the ladle. It Avill look thick and drop thick and a little 
stringy, but if let heat beyond this point it will loose its thickness 
and not jelly nearly so well and always disappoint you if you lose 
faith in your instructions and insist upon ' letting it come to a boil.* 
All the boiling is done before you put in the sugar. 

Currant Jelly. 

One pound of granulated sugar to each pint of juice. Squeeze 
the currants and boil twenty minutes, then add the sugar, which 
should be heating while the juice boils; stir well together until the 
sugar is well dissolved. 

Grape Jelly. 

Put the grapes into a preserving kettle and heat, bruising them, 
meantime with a potato masher, until the juice runs freely, then 
strain through a sieve or thin cloth and measure one pint of juice 
for one pound of sugar. Boil the juice fifteen or twenty minutes 
before putting in the sugar; after adding the sugar let it boil from 
three to five minutes. All fruit will form more readily into a jelly 
if not quite ripe. 



JELLIES. 181 

Pkach Jelly. 
Crack one-third of the kernels and put them into the jar with the 
jpeaches, which have been wiped, stoned and sliced. Heat in a pot 
of boiling water, stirring occasionally until the fruit is well broken; 
strain, and to every pint of peach juice add the juice of a lemon; 
measure again and to every pint of juice allow one pound of sugar. 
Heat the sugar very hot and add when the juice has boiled twenty 
minutes. Let it come to a boil and take instantly from the lire. 

Pie-Plant Jellt. 
Stew the stalks until tender in a preserving kettle; strain through 
:a jelly-bag; flavor with extract of lemon. To each pint of juice 
add a pound of sugar; boil until it jellies on the skimmer; remove 
it from the fire and put into jars. 

, Quince Jelly. 

Peel, cut up and core some fine, ripe quinces; put them in suffi- 
cient cold water to cover them and stew gently till soft, but not 
red; strain the juice without pressure, weigh, and to every pound 
of juice allow one pound of crushed sugar; boil the juice twenty 
minutes, add the sugar and boil again until it jellies — about a quar- 
ter of an hour; stir and skim well all the time; strain through thin 
cloth into your jelly glasses, and when cold, cover it. The 
remainder of the fruit can be made into marmalade with three- 
quarters of a pound of sugar and a quarter of a pound of juicy 
apples to every pound of quinces, or it can be made into compotes 
or tarts. 

Quince Jelly, No, 2. 

Take the cores and parings of the quinces, put them in enough 
cold water to cover them, and boil until they are soft; squeeze, and 
add the juice to the water, and any syrup which may be left from 
the quince preserve, and strain it; to each pint of juice allow a 
pound of sugar; spread the sugar in pans, put it in the oven to 
lieat, it must be watched and stirred to prevent burning. Let the 



182 GELATINE JELLIES. 

juice boil for five minutes, then pour in the hot sugar, stirring until 
it is uuiireiy dissolved, and skimming any scum that may rise. 
There will be very little. Let it come to a boil, then take from the 
fire and put in jars or glasses; the jelly will be clear, of a good 
color and keep well. All kinds of jellies can be made in this way, 
and it saves much labor in the time of boiling the juices and the 
trouble of skimming. 



GELATINE JELLIES. 

Coffee Jelly. 

One box gelatine soaked for an hour in just water enough to 
cover; take one quart of strong coffee, made as for table use; 
sweeten it to taste; have the coffee hot and add the dissolved gela- 
tine; stir well and strain into a mold that has just been rinsed in 
cold water. Set on ice or in a cool place, and when cold, 'serve 
with whipped cream. 

Lemon Snow Jellt. 

Dissolve one box of gelatine in nearly a quart of boiling water, 
then add the juice of five lemons and enough of sugar to sweeten 
to taste; strain and set aside until nearly cool. Beat the whites of 
five eggs and whip into the jelly; turn into a dish and let it set 
until cool. After it becomes solid, decorate wdth pieces of red 
jelly. 

Lemon Jelly. 

One ounce of gelatine, red is the best, one pound of sugar, one 
quart of boiling water, and four lemons; cut the lemons into slices 
and bmise them, then add the sugar and gelatine, and pour upon 
the whole boiling water; set the vessel containing them upon the 
stove and stir until the gelatine is thoroughly dissolved; then pour 
into molds and set to cool. 



GELATINE JELLIES. 183 

Orange Jellt. 

Take two ounces of gelatine and pour on hot water enough to 
cover it, and let soak until it is dissolved; boil together one quart 
of water and one-half pound of sugar, and add the dissolved gela- 
tine; add the juice of five oranges and one lemon and the whites of 
two eggs, well beaten. Boil a few minutes and strain through a 
jelly-bag; turn into molds and set to cool. 

Any jellies may be colored by using fruit coloring, which may be 
obtained at the bakeries. 

Wine Jelly. 

One box of gelatine dissolved in just water enough to cover it, 
one pint of wine, one pint of boiling water, one pint of granulated 
sugar, and juice of three lemons. 

MOULDINESS. 

Fruit jellies may be preserved from mouldiness by covering the 
surface one-fourth of an inch deep with finely pulverized loaf sugar, 
rhus protected, they will keep in good condition for years. 



CHAPTER XV. 



MUSHROOMS, 




peastints of a great portion of Europe eat mushrooms raw 
itli salt and dry bread, and wholesome and good they are. 
he true flavor of mushrooms, nevertheless, is greatly height- 
ened by cooking; and cook 
them how you may — a broil, a 
stew, or a fry, with the simple 
addition of butter, salt, and 
pepper, and they are excellent. 
There is one rule that should 
always be observed in what- 
ever mode they are cooked, 
and that is that they should be 
served up quickly and hot. 
The following modes of cook- 
ing mushrooms may j^rove use- 
ful: 

Mushrooms au Gratii!^. 
Take twelve large mushrooms about two inches in diameter, pare 
the stalks, wash, and drain the mushrooms on a cloth; cut off and 
chop the stalks. Put in a quart stewpan an ounce of butter and 
Tialf an ounce of flour; stir over the fire for two minutes; then add 
one pint of broth; stir till reduced to half the quantity. Drain the 
chopped stalks of the mushrooms thoroughly in a cloth ; put them 
in the sauce with three tablespoonfuls of chopped and washed 

184 




MUSHROOMS. 185 

parsley, one tablespoonful of chopped and washed shalot, tw^o 
pinches of salt, a small pinch of pepper; reduce on a brisk fire for 
eight minutes, put two tablespoonfuls of oil in a saute pan; set the 
mushrooms in, the hollow part upwards; till them with the fine 
lierbs, and sprinkle over them lightly a tablespoonful of raspings; 
put in a brisk oven for ten minutes and serve. 

Mushrooms a la Provencale. 
Take mushrooms of good size; remove the stems and soak them 
in olive oil; cut up the stems with a clove of garlic and some pars- 
ley; add meat of sausages, and two yolks of eggs to unite them; 
dish the mushrooms, and garnish them with the forcemeat; sprinkle 
them with fine oil, and dress them in an oven, or in a four de 

campacjne. 

Mushrooms a la Creme, 

Trim and rub half a pint of button mushrooms, dissolve two 
ounces of butter rolled in flour in a stewpan, tken jjut in the mush- 
rooms, a bunch of parsley, a teaspoonf ul of salt, half a teaspoonf ul 
€ach of white pepper and of powdered sugar, shake the pan round 
for ten minutes, then beat up the yolks of two eggs, with two 
tablespoonfuls of cream, and add by degrees to the mushrooms; in 
two or three minutes you can serve them in the sauce. 

Baked Mushrooms. 

Peel the tops of twenty mushrooms; cut off a portion of the 

stalks, and wipe them carefully with a piece of flannel, dipped in 

salt; lay the mushi-ooms in a tin dish, put a small piece of butter 

on the top of each, and season theln with pepper and salt. Set the 

dish in the oven, and bake from twenty minutes to half an hour. 

When done, arrange them high in the centre of a very hot dish, 

pour the sauce round them and serve quickly and as hot as you 

possibly can. 

Breakfast Mushrooms. 

Clean a dozen or so of medium size; place two or three ounces of 
nice, clean beef -dripping in the frying pan, and with it a table- 



186 MUSHROOMS. 

spoonful or more of nice beef gravy. Set the pan on a gentle fire, 
and as the dripping melts place in the mushrooms, adding salt and 
pepper to taste. In a few minutes they will be cooked, and being 
soaked in the gravy and served upon a hot plate, will form a capital 
dish. In the absence of gravy, a soupcon of " extractum carnis " 
may be substituted. 

CuREiED Mushrooms. 
Peel and remove the stems from a dish of full-grown mushrooms, 
sprinkle with salt, and add a very little butter; stew them gently 
in a little good gravy or stock. Add four tablespoonfuls of cream, 
and one teaspoonful of curry powder, previously well mixed with 
two teaspoonfuls of wheat flour; mix carefully, and serve on a hot 
dish, with hot toast and hot plates attendant. Mind the "curry 
stuff " is good, says an Indian friend, and not too much of it. The 
word " curry," by itself, it seems, being merely the Tamul word for 
"meat." The large horse mushroom, when half or three parts 
grown, and curried fn this fashion, will be found to be delicious. 

Mushrooms en Caisse. 
Peel the mushrooms lightly, and cut them into pieces. Put them 
into cases of buttered paper, with a bit of butter, parsley, green 
onions, and shalots chopped up, salt and pepper. Dress them on 
the gridiron over a gentle fire, and serve in the cases. 

Mushroom Catsup. 
Mushroom catsup is more highly esteemed and more generally 
useful than any other. It is best when made of large mushroom 
flaps, fully ripe, fresh, and perfectly dry — that is, gathered during 
dry weather. If this point is not attended to the catsup will not 
keep. Do not wash nor skin the mushrooms, but carefully remove 
any decayed, dirty, or worm-eaten portions; cut off about half an 
inch from the end of the stalks, then break the rest into small 
pieces, put them into an earthen jar, and strew three-fourths of a 
pound of salt amongst two gallons of mushrooms, scattering the 
larger portions on top. Let them remain all night, and the next 



MUSHROOMS. 187 

day stir them gently with a wooden spoon, and repeat this three 
times a day for two days. At the end of that time put the jar into 
a cool oven for half an hour, then strain the liquid which flows froiu 
them through a coarse cloth, and let it boil for a quarter of an hour. 
Do not squeeze the mushrooms. To every quart of the liquid put 
a quarter of an ounce each of Jamaica ginger and black pepper, and 
a drachm of mace. Boil again till the quantity is reduced one- 
half. Pour it out, and let it stand until cool, then put it into per- 
fectly dry bottles, being careful to leave the sediment, which will 
have settled to the bottom, undisturbed. Seal the corks and keep 
in a cool, dry place. 

Mushrooms en Ragout. 
Put into a stew-pan a little stock, a small quantity of vinegar,, 
parsley, and green onions chopped up, salt and spices. When this 
is about to boil, the mushrooms being cleaned, put them in. When. 
done, remove them from the fire, and thicken with yolks of eggs. 

Mushrooms with Bacon. 
Take some full-grown mushrooms, and having cleaned them, 
procure a few rashers of nice streaky bacon, and fry it in the usual 
manner. When nearly done, add a dozen or so of mushrooms, and 
fry them slowly until they are cooked. In this process they will 
absorb all the fat of the bacon, and with the addition of a little salt 
and pepper, will form a most appetizing .breakfast relish. 

Mushroom Stems. 
If young and fresh, make a capital dish when the supply of 
mushrooms is limited. Rub them quite clean, and after washing 
them in salt and water, slice them to the thickness of a shilling, 
then place them in a sauce-pan with sufficient milk to stew them 
tender; throw in a piece of butter and some flour for thickening, 
and salt and pepper to taste. Serve upon a toast of bread, in a hot 
dish, and add sippets of toasted bread. This makes a light and 
very delicate supper dish, and is not bad sauce to a boiled fowl. „ 



188 MUSHROOMS. 

To Stew Mushrooms. 
Trim and rub clean a half pint large button mushrooms; put into 
a stew-pan two ounces of butter; shake over the lire until thor- 
oughly melted; put in the mushrooms, a teaspoonful of salt, half as 
much pepper, and a small piece of mace pounded; stew till the 
mushrooms are tender, then serve them on a hot dish. They are 
usually sent in as a breakfast dish, thus prepared in butter. 

To Pot Mushrooms. 

The small open mushrooms suit best for potting. Trim and rub 
them; put into a stew-pan a quart of mushrooms, three ounces of 
l)utter, two teaspoonfuls of salt, and half a teaspoonful of Cayenne 
and mace mixed, and stew for ten or fifteen minutes, or till the 
mushrooms are tender; take them carefully out and drain them 
perfectly on a sloping dish, and when cold press them into small 
pots, and pour clarified butter over them, in which state they will 
teep for a week or two. If required to be longer preserved, put 
■writing paper over the butter, and over that melted suet, which 
will effectually preserve them for many weeks, if kept in a dry, cool 
3)lace. 

Mushrooms a>t) Toast. 

Peel the mushrooms, and take out the stems. Fry them over a 
quick fire. When the butter is melted take off the pan. Squeeze 
the juice of a lemon into it. Let the mushrooms fry again for some 
minutes. Add salt, pepper, spices, and a spoonful of water, in 
which a clove of garlic, having been cut into pieces, has soaked for 
half an hour; let it stew. When the mushrooms are done make a 
thickening of yolks of eggs. Pour the mushrooms on bread fried 
in butter, and laid in a dish ready for them. 

Mushrooms ox Toast. 
Put a pint of mushrooms into a stew-pan, with two ounces of 
butter rolled in flour; add a teaspoonf.ul of salt, half a teaspoonful 
•of white pepper, a blade of mace powdered, and half a teaspoonful 



MUSHROOMS. ISa^ 

grated lemon; stew till the butter is all absorbed, then add as much 
white roux as Avill moisten the mushrooms; fry a slice of bread in 
butter, to iit the dish, and as soon as the mushrooms are tender 
serve them on the toast. 

To Pickle Mushrooms. 
Select a number of small, sound, pasture mushrooms, as nearly as 
possible alike in size; throw them for a few minutes into cold 
water; then drain them; cut off the stalks, and gently rub off the 
outer skin with a moist flannel dipped in salt ; then boil the vin- 
egar, adding to each quart two ounces of salt, half a nutmeg sliced, 
a drachm of mace, and an ounce of white pepper-corns; put the 
mushrooms into the vinegar for ten minutes over the fire; then 
pour the whole into small jars, taking care that the spices are 
equally divided; let them stand a day, then cover them. 

ANOTHER Method. 
In pickling mushrooms, take the buttons only, and while they are 
quite close, cut the stem off even with the gills, and rub them quite 
clean. Lay them in salt and water for forty-eight hours, and then 
add pepper and vinegar, in which black pepper and a little mace 
have been boiled. Th'^ vinegar must be applied cold. So pickled 
they will keep for years. 



CHAPTER XVI. 

PICKLES. 



^r 



piCKLES are made of fruit or vegetables preserved in vinegar, 
and may be used as accompaniments to cold meat, to garnish 
^ dishes, and to flavor hashes and sauces. It is generally 
understood that they can be bought cheaper than they can be made. 
Nevertheless, there is always a certain amount of satisfaction in 
using home-made preparations, as by this means the quality of the 
article can be assured beyond all question, and many ladies take 
great pride in their store of home-made pickles. A great outcry 
was raised some years ago about the unwholesomeness of pickles, 
and attention was called to the fact that most of those ordinarily 
sold were positively pernicious, because the vinegar used in making 
them was boiled in copper vessels. This evil has now been, to a 
great extent, remedied; and it may be reasonably assumed that 
pickles which are sold by respectable dealers have been properly 
prepared. At the same time, for safety's sake, the rule should be 
laid down that all pickles which are beautiful and brilliant in color 
and appearance should be avoided, as this is a certain sign that the 
vinegar used has been boiled in a metal pan. In making pickles, 
care must be taken that the vegetables and fruit used for the pur- 
pose are procured at the right season, that they are perfectly sound, 
not overripe, and have been gathered on a dry day. They should 
be trimmed and wiped before they are used, and not washed, unless 
they are afterwards to be partially boiled or soaked. The vinegar 
must be of the best quality. White wine vinegar is generally 
recommended, for the sake of the appearance, but it is not as 



190 



PICKLES. 191 

wholesome as the best cider vinegar. Metal utensils should never 
be used in making pickles, as the vinegar acting upon the metal 
produces a poison. Enameled or stone vessels and woodefo spoons 
should therefore be used; and the best method that can be adopted 
is to put the vinegar into a stone jar, and heat it on a stone or hot 
hearth. Pickles should be kept in glass bottles, or unglazed earthen 
jars, and should be closely corked, and the corks sealed down, 
or covered with wet bladder. They should be stored in a dry 
place. As the vinegar becomes absorbed more should be added, as 
it is important that the vegetables should be covered at least two 
inches above the surface with vinegar. If any of the vinegar is 
left after the pickle is used, it should be boiled up with fresh spices, 
and bottled for flavoring sauces, etc. It should be remembered 
that to boil vinegar is to decrease its strength. If it is wished to 
hasten the preparation of the pickles, partially boil the vegetables 
in brine and let them cool and get quite dry before the vinegar is 
poured over them. 

Pickled Artichokes. 

Boil your artichokes in strong salt and water for two or three 
minutes; lay on a hair sieve to drain; when cold, lay in narrow- 
topped jars. Take as much white wine vinegar as will cover the 
artichokes, and boil it with a blade or two of mace, some root 
ginger, and a nutmeg grated fine. Pour it on hot, seal and put 
away for use. 

Pickled Butternuts and Walnuts. 

Gather them when soft enough to be pierced by a pin; lay them 
in brine five days, changing this twice in the meantime; drain, and 
"wipe them with a coarse cloth; pierce each by running a large 
needle through it, and lay in cold water for six hours. To each 
gallon of vinegar allow a cup of sugar, three dozen each of cloves 
and black peppers, half as much allspice, and a dozen blades of 
mace. Boil five minutes; pack the nuts in small jars and pour over 
them scalding hot. Repeat this twice within a week; tie up and 
set away. They will be good to eat in a month. 



192 PICKLES. 

Pickled Beans. 
The beans should be gathered young. Place them in a strong- 
brine of salt and water; when turning yellow, which will be in a, 
day or two, remove them and wipe them dry. Boil the vinegar 
with a little mace, whole pepper, and ginger (two ounces of j)epper 
and one ounce each of ginger and mace to each quart of vinegar); 
pour this over the beans. A small bit of alum, or a teaspoonful of 
soda will bring back the color. Cover them to keep in the steam 
and reboil the vinegar the next day; throw over hot as before. 
Cover, but do not tie down till cold. 

Pickled Beets. 

Take the beets, cleanse and boil two hours. When cold peel 

and slice, put into a jar and cover with vinegar prepared in the 

following manner: Boil half an ounce each of cloves, pepper-corns, 

mace and ginger in a pint of vinegar, when cold add another ^int. 

Pickled Brocoll 

Choose the finest, whitest and closest vegetables before they are 
quite ripe. Pare off all green leaves and the outsides of the stalks. 
Parboil them in well-salted water. When drained and dry pull off 
the branches in convenient sized pieces and put them into a jar of 
pickle prepared as for onions. Time to parboil, four or five 
minutes. 

Bottled Pickles. 

Wash and wipe small cucumbers; put into a stone jar and cover 
with salt — allowing a pint of salt to a half bushel of cucumbers — 
and pour over them boiling water enough to cover. Place a gallon 
at a time on the stove, cover with vinegar, and add a lump of alum 
about the size of a hickory nut. Put on the stove in another kettle 
a gallon of the very best cider vinegar, to which add half a pint of 
brown sugar; have bottles cleansed and placed to heat on stove in 
a vessel of cold water; also have a cup of heated sealing-wax. 
Have spices prepared in separate dishes as follows: Green and red 



PICKLES. 193 

peppers sliced in rings; horse-radish roots washed, scraped and cut 
in small pieces; black and yellow mustard seed if liked, each pre- 
pared by sprinkling with salt and pouring on some boiling water, 
which let stand for fifteen minutes and then draw off; stick of 
cinnamon broken into pieces and a few cloves. When pickles come 
to boiling point, take out and pack in bottles, mixing with them the 
spices. Put in a layer of pickles, then a layer of spices, shaking 
the bottles occasionally so as to pack tightly. When full, cover 
with the boiling hot vinegar from the other kettle (using a bright 
funnel and tin cup), going over them a second time and filling up, 
in order to supply shrinkage, for the pickles must be entii-ely 
covered with vinegar. Put in the corks, which should fit very 
snugly; lift each bottle and dip the corked end in the hot sealing- 
wax; proceed in this manner with each bottle, dipping each a 
second time into the wax so that they may be perfectly secure. 
Glass cans, the covers of which have become defective, can be used 
by supplying corks. Pickles prepared in this way are superior to 
imported pickles. 

Mary's Pickled Blackberries. 
Three quarts blackberries, one quart vinegar, one quart 'sugar. 
No spice is required; put all together at the same time into your 
kettle and boil ten or fifteen minutes. After standing a few weeks 
they ai*e very nice. 

To Put up Cucumbers in Brine. 
Leave at least an inch of stem to the cucumbers, and wash well in 
cold water. Make a brine of salt and water strong enough to bear 
an egg; put your cucumbers in this as you gather them each day 
from the vines. Cut a board so as to fit inside of your barrel; bore 
holes here and there through it, and put this board on the cucum- 
bers with a weight sufficient to keep it down. Each day take off 
the scum that rises. When wanted for use, take out what is 
necessary and soak them two or three davs, or until the salt is out 

13 



194 PICKLES. 

of them, and then pour boiling spiced vinegar over them. A red 
pepper or two is an improvement if one likes hot pickles. 

Pickled Cabbage. 

Select solid heads, slice very fine, put in a jar, then cover with 
Iboiling water; when cold, drain off the water, and season with 
grated horse radish, salt, equal parts of black and red pepper, cinna- 
mon and whole cloves. 

Pickled Cauliflower. 

Choose such as are firm, yet of their full size; cut away all the 
leaves and pare the stalks; pull away the flowers in bunches, steep 
in brine two days, then drain them, wipe them dry, and put them 
in hot pickle, or merely infuse for three days three ounces of curry 
powder in every quart of vinegar. 

Pickled Cauliflower, No. 2, 

These should be sliced and salted for two or three days, then 
drained, and spread upon a dry cloth before the fire for twenty- 
four hours; after which they are put into a jar, and covered with 
spiced vinegar. 

^ Picked Cabbage, No. 2. 

Slice red cabbage very thin; put on it a little coarse salt, and let 
it rest twenty-four hours to drain; add sliced onions, if you like 
them. Boil four spoonfuls pepper, and four of allspice in a quart 
of vinegar, and pour it over. 

Pickled Cucumbers. 
Wash with care your cucumbers, and place in jars. Make a 
-weak brine (a handful of salt to a gallon and a half of water). 
When scalding hot, turn over the cucumbers and cover; repeat this 
process three mornings in succession, taking care to skim thor- 
oughly. On the fourth day have ready a porcelain kettle of 
Tinegar, to which has been added a piece of alum the size of a 
walnut. When scalding hot, put in as many cucumbers as may be 
covered with the vinegar; do not let them boil, but skim out as 



PICKLES. 195 

soon as scalded through, and replace with others, adding each time 
a small piece of alum. When this process is through, throw out 
the vinegar, and replace with good cider or white wine vinegar; add 
spices, mustard seed and red pepper. Sort the pickles and place 
them in stone or glass jars, turn over the hot spiced vinegar; seal 
and put away the jars not wanted for immediate use. Pickles thus 
prepared are fine and crisp at the expiration of a year. Those that 
are kept in open mouth jars may be covered with a cloth, which 
will need to be taken off and rinsed occasionally. 

Chow-Ciiow. 

Two quarts of tomatoes, two white onions, half-dozen green pep- 
pers, one dozen cucumbers, two heads of cabbage, all chopped fine; 
let this stand over night; sprinkle a cup of salt in it. In the morn- 
ing drain off the brine, and season with one tablespoonful of celery 
seed, one ounce of turmeric, half teaspoonful of cayenne pepper, 
one cup of brown sugar, one ounce of cinnamon, one ounce of all- 
spice, one ounce of black pepper, one-quarter ounce cloves, vinegar 
enough to cover, and boil two hours. 

Chow-Chow, No. 2. 

Two heads of cabbage, two heads of cauliflower, one dozen 
cucumbers, six roots of celery, six peppers, one quart of small white 
onions, two quarts of green tomatoes ; cut into small pieces and boil 
each vegetable separately until tender, then strain them. Two 
gallons of vinegar, one-fourth pound of mustard, one-fourth pound 
of mustard seed, one pot of French mustard, one ounce of cloves, 
two ounces of turmeric; put the vinegar and spices into a kettle 
and let them come to a boil ; mix the vegetables and pour over the 
dressing. 

Pickled Cherries. 

Take the largest and ripest red cherries, remove the stems, have 
ready a large glass jar, fill it tAvo-thirds full with cherries, and fill 
up to the top with best vinegar; keep it well covered and no boil- 



106 PICKLES. 

ing or spice is necessary, as the cherry flavor will be retained, and 
the cherries will not shrivel. 

French Pickles. 
One peck of green tomatoes, sliced, six large onions, sliced;, 
sprinkle over them one cup of salt; let them stand over night; in 
the morning drain and boil for fifteen minutes in two parts water 
and one part vinegar; drain again; take two quarts vinegar, one 
pound sugar, one tablespoonful each of cloves, cinnamon and all- 
spice; boil together for fifteen minutes and pour over the pickles. 

Pickled Grapes. 
Fill a Jar with alternate layers of sugar and bunches of nice 
grapes, not too ripe; fill one-third full of good, cold vinegar and 
cover tightly. 

Pickled Grapes, No. 2. 
When grapes are not quite ripe, but dark colored, pick from the 
stem and wash; put in bottles; in a dish put sugar and vinegai', 
and boil a few minutes; add spices to taste; boil a few minutes^ 
pour over the grapes and seal up the bottles. 

To Harden Pickles. 
After they are taken out of the brine take a lump of alum and a 
horse-radish cut in strips; put this in the vinegar, and it will make 
them hard and crisp. When you wish to make a few cucumber 
pickles quick, take good cider vinegar; heat it boiling hot and pour 
it over them. When cool, they are ready for use. 

Lemon Pickles. 
Wipe six lemons, cut each into eight pieces; put on them a pound 
of salt, six large cloves of garlic, two ounces of horse-radish, sliced 
thin, likewise of cloves, mace, nutmeg, and Cayenne, a quarter of an 
ounce each, and two ounces of flour of mustard; to these put twa 
quarts of vinegar. Boil a quarter of an hour in a well-tinned sauce- 
pan; or, which is better, do it in a strong jar, in a kettle of boiling 



PICKLES. 197 

"water; or set the jar on the hot hearth till done. Set the jar by, 

and stir it daily for six weeks; keep the jar close covered. Put it 

into small bottles. 

Mangoes of Melons. 

Take green melons and make a brine strong enough to bear up 
an egg ; then pour it boiling hot on the melons, keeping them under 
the brine; let them stand five or six days, slit them down on one 
side, take out all the seeds, scrape them well in the inside, and wash 
them clean; then take cloves, garlic, ginger, nutmeg and pepper; 
put all these proportionately into the melons, filling them up with 
mustard seed; then lay them into an earthern pot, and take one 
part of mustard seed and two parts of vinegar, enough to cover 
them, pouring it on scalding hot. Keep them closely covered. 

iMiTATioisr Pickled Mangoes. 

Large cucumbers, or small melons, are split so that a marrow- 

.spoon may be introduced, and the seeds scooped out; they are then 

parboiled in brine strong enough to float an egg, dried on a cloth 

before the fire, filled with mustard seed and a clove of garlic, and 

then covered with spiced vinegar. Real mangoes are pickled in the 

^ame way. 

Pickled Nasturtiums. 

Soak for three days in strong salt and water; then strain and 
pour boiling vinegar over them, omitting the spice. Vinegar for 
any pickle should never be allowed to boil over one minute. 

Pickled Onions. 

Small silver-skinned onions; remove outer skin so that each one 

is white and clean; put them into brine that will float an egg for 

three days; bring vinegar to a boiling point, add a little mace and 

whole red peppers and pour hot over the onions^ well drained from 

the brine. 

Pickled Onions, No. 2. 

Peel the onions and let them lie in strong salt and water nine 
•days, changing the water each day; then put them into jars and 



198 PICKLEB. 

pour fresh salt and water on them, this time boiling hot; when it is 
cold, take them out and put them on a hair sieve to drain, after 
which put them in wide-mouthed bottles and pour over them, 
vinegar prepared in the following manner: Take white wine 
vinegar and boil it with a blade of mace, some salt and ginger in it; 
when cool, pour over the onions. 

Pickles, 
An excellent way to make pickles that will keep a year or more 
is to drop them into boiling hot water, but not boil them; let them 
stay ten minutes, wipe them dry, and di-op them into cold, spiced 
vinegar, and they will not need to be put in salt and water. 

Stuffed Peppers. 
Chop a large cabbage finely, add one large spoonful grated horse- 
radish root and one ounce of white mustard seed; mix all this well; 
cut pieces out of the stem ends of large green peppers, large as a 
silver dollar; fill with the filling and sew the piece in again with 
cotton thread; then take vinegar enough to cover; spice with 
cloves, mace and allspice, whole; boil, and when nearly cold, pour 
over the peppers; no salt is to be used. Mangoes are pickled and 
stuffed in the same manner. 

Mixed Pickles. 
One quart raw cabbage chopped fine; one quart boiled beets 
chopped fine; two cups of sugar, tablespoonful of salt, one tea- 
spoonful red pepper, one cup of grated horse-radish; cover with 
cold vinegar and keep from the air. 

Mixed Pickles, No. 2. 
Three hundred vsmall cucumbers, four green peppers sliced fine,' 
two large or three small heads cauliflowei-, three heads of white 
cabbage sliced fine, nine large onions sliced, one large horse-radish, 
one quart green beans cut one inch long, one quart green tomatoes 
sliced; put this mixture in a pretty strong brine twenty-four hours; 
drain three hours; then sprinkle in one-fourth pound black and 



PICKLES. 199 

one-fourth pound of white mustard seed; also one tablespoonful 
black ground pepper; let it come to a good boil in just vinegar 
enough to cover it, adding a little alum; drain again and when 
cold put in one-half pint ground mustard; cover the whole with 
good cider vinegar; add turmeric enough to color if you like. 

India Pickles. 
Take three quarts of vinegar, quarter pound mustard, half 
ounce of black pepper, one ounce cloves, one ounce allspice, one 
ounce turmeric, one ounce ginger, one ounce Cayenne pepper, hand- 
ful of salt and the same of sugar; boil for twenty minutes. When 
cold put in the vegetables, cucumbers, onions, cauliflower cut up 
small, and cover closely. If the liquid should seem thin, boil again 
and add more mustard in three weeks after making. 

Pyper Pickles. 
Salt pickles down dry for ten days, soak in fresh water one day; 
pour off water, place in porcelain kettle, cover with water and 
vinegar and add one teaspoonful pulverized alum; set over night 
on a stove which had fire in it during the day; wash and put in a 
jar with cloves, allspice, pepper, horse-radish, onions or garlic; boil 
fresh vinegar and pour over all. Ready for use in two weeks. 

Ragan Pickles. 
Two gallons of cabbage, sliced fine, one gallon of chopped green 
tomatoes, twelve onions, also chopped, one gallon best vinegar, 
one pound of brown sugar, one tablespoonful of black pepper, half 
an ounce of turmeric powder, one ounce celery seed, one table- 
spoonful of ground allspice, one tablespoonful of ground cloves, 
one-quarter pound white mustard, and one gill of salt. Boil 
all together, stirring well, for two hours; take from the fire and 
add the spices, then put in air-tight jars; set in a cool, dry place, 
and this delicious pickle will keep all winter. 

Sweet Pickles. 
To every seven pounds of fruit allow three and one-half pounds. 



200 PICKLES. 

of sugar and one pint of cider vinegar, two ounces whole cloves, 
two of stick cinnamon. This is for peaches, pears, apples or musk 
melons. Peaches, pears, and apples should be pared only, not 
divided. Then in each stick two whole cloves. The cinnamon 
should be boiled in the vinegar. Put the prepared fruit into a jar 
and pour the vinegar, scalding hot, over it. Repeat this for three 
mornings. These sweet pickles will be found delicious, and will 
keep any length of time. The melons should be cut in strips as if 
to serve fresh on the table, and should not be too ripe. Simmer 
them thirty minutes slowly in the prepared vinegar, and they will 
need no further attention except to keep them closely covered, and 
they will keep good a year. 

Sweet Apple Pickle. 

Pickled sweet apples can be made by taking three pounds of 
sugar, two quarts of vinegar, one-half ounce of cinnamon, one-half 
ounce of cloves; pare the apples, leaving them whole; boil them in 
part of the vinegar and sugar until you can put a fork through 
them; take them out; heat the remainder of the vinegar and sugar 
and pour over them. Be careful not to boil them too long or they 
will break. 

Sweet Tomato Pickle. 

Seven pounds of ripe tomatoes, peeled and sliced, three and a 
half pounds of sugar, one pound of mace and cinnamon mixed, one 
ounce of cloves, one quart of vinegar. Mix all together and stew 
an hour. 

Geeen Tomato Pickles. 

Slice one peck of tomatoes into a jar and sprinkle a little salt 
over each layer; let them stand twenty-four hours, drain off the 
liquor; put the tomatoes into a kettle with a teaspoonful of each 
of the following spices: Ground ginger, allspice, cloves, mace, 
■cinnamon, a teaspoonful of scraped horse-radish, twelve small or 
three large red peppers, three onions, a cup of brown sugar; cover 
:all with vinegar; boil slowly for three houi'S, 



PICKLES. 201 

PiCALILLI. 

One peck green tomatoes, one large cabbage, one dozen onions; 
add half pint salt; after the above have been chopped tine let it 
stand over night; in the morning drain off the brine and scald in 
weak vinegar; drain this off and stir in ground spices to suit the 
taste; add six red peppers and a little horse-radish root; pack in a 
^I'ock and cover with strong vinegar; a few small cucumbers put 
in whole are quite an addition. 

PiCKLETTE. 

Four large crisp cabbages chopped fine, one quart of onions 
chopped fine, two quarts of vinegar, or enough to cover the cabbage, 
two tablespoonf uls each of ground mustard, black pepper, cinnamon, 
turmeric, celery seed, and one of allspice, pulverized alum and mace. 
Pack the onions and cabbage in alternate layers with a little salt 
between them. Let them stand until next day. Then scald the 
vinegar, sugar and spices together and pour over the cabbage and 
onions. Do this three mornings in succession. On the fourth put 
4ill together over the fire and heat to a boil; let them boil five 
minutes. When cold pack in small jars. It is fit for use as soon as 
cold and will keep well. 

Spiced Vit^ecar for Pickles Generally. 

xiruise m a mortar two ounces black pepper, one ounce ginger, 
one-half ounce allspice, and one ounce salt. If a hotter pickle is 
desired, add one-half drachm Cayenne, or a few capsicums. For 
walnuts add also one ounce shallots. Put these in a stone jar, with 
a quart of vinegar, and cover them with a bladder wetted with the 
pickle, and over this a piece of leather. Set the jar near the fire 
for three days, shaking it three time a day; then pour it on the 
"walnuts or other vegetables. For walnuts it is used hot; for 
cabbage, etc., cold. 

Pickled Peaches. 

To fourteen pounds of peaches peeled, put three pounds of brown 



202 PICKLES. 

sugar, three tablespoonfuls of cinnamon, same of powdered cloves, 
to one quart of strong cider vinegar. Let the vinegar, sugar, 
and spices boil a very little while; then put in your peaches and let 
them scald enough to stick a straw through them with ease. Take 
them out and put them in an earthen jar, seeing that the vinegar 
covers them well, which must be poured over the packed peaches. 
Put a cover over them lightly the first day; the second pour off the 
vinegar, heat and pour it boiling hot over the fruit. Repeat till 
the fruit is ready for use. Four or five times heating will generally 
cure them. Watch closely and if any fermentation occurs pour off 
the vinegar and scald it, skimming off any scum that arises. 

Pickled Peaches that will Keep. 
Four pounds sugar, one pint vinegar, to twelve pounds of fruit; 
put sugar and vinegar together and boil; then add the fruit and let 
it come to a boil; the next day drain off the liquor and boil again; 
do this three times and your pickles are delicious; add cinnamon to 
the liquor and stick two or three cloves in each peach. 

To Pickle Plums. 
For eight pounds of fruit take four pounds of sugar, two quarts 
of vinegar, one ounce cinnamon, and one ounce cloves; boil the 
vinegar, sugar, and spices together; skim, and pour scalding hot 
over your fruit; let it set three days, pour off the syrup, scald and 
skim and pour over again, and continue this process every three 
days till you have scalded it three times, after which it will be fit 
for use. Plums prepared in this way we think superior to the old 
method of preserving with sugar alone. 

Green Tomato Soy. 
Two gallons of green tomatoes sliced without peeling; slice also 
twelve good sized onions; two quarts of vinegar, one quart of sugar, 
two tablespoonfuls each of salt, ground mustard, and ground black 
pepper, one tablespoonful of cloves and allspice. Mix all together 
and stew until tender, stirring often lest they should scorch. Put 
up in small glass jars. A good sauce for all kinds of meat or fish. 



PICKLES. 20S 

To Keep Tomatoes Whole. 
Fill a large stone jar with ripe tomatoes, then add a few whole 
cloves and a little sugar; cover them well with one-half cold 
vinegar and half water; place a piece of flannel over the jar well 
down in the vinegar, then tie down with paper. In this way toma- 
toes can be kept a year. Should mildew collect on the flannel it 
will not hurt them in the least. 

Pickled Tomatoes. 
Let the tomatoes be thoroughly ripe and let them lie in strong 
salt and water for three or four days; then put them down in 
layers in jars, mixing with them small onions and pieces of horse- 
radish; then pour on vinegar, cold, after having spiced it. Use 
plenty of spice, cover carefully, and let stand for a month before 
using. 



CHAPTER XVII. 

PRESERVES. 

Preserved Apples for Tea. 
AKE a nice syrup of sugar and water, and jjut in some small 
pieces of ginger root or the yellow of orange peel; have 
some good firm apples pared and halved — pippins are best — 
and when the syrup has boiled up three or four times and been 
skimmed, drop in the apples and cook until transparent, but they 
must not go to pieces. Let them be quite cold before eaten, and 
good cream greatly improves it. 

Apple Preserves. 
Take three-fourths pound of sugar to each pound of apples; make 
a syrup of the sugar and water, and a little lemon juice or sliced 
lemon; skim off all scum and put a few apples at a time into the 
syrup and boil until they are transparent; skim out and put in a 
jar. When all are done, boil the syrup down thick; pour boiling 
hot over the apples and cover closely. Well-flavored fruit not 
easily broken should be selected. 

Apricot Preserves. 
Proceed the same as for preserving peaches, save that apricots, 
having a smooth, thin skin, do not require paring. 

Citron Preserves, 
Pare and take out the seeds and cut them in pieces one inch thick 
and two inches in length; weigh them and put into a preserving 
kettle and cook them until they are clear, or steam them, then 

204 



PRESERVES. 205' 

make a syrup of their weight in sugar with water and add two 
sliced lemons for each pound of fruit; put the citron into the syrup, a 
pai't at a time, and boil about fifteen mmutes; skim out and put into 
a jar. When all has been thus cooked, boil the syrup down thick, 
and pour over it. Cover closely with paper which the air cannot 
penetrate, or use air-tight Jars. 

CiTEoisr Preserves, No. 2. 
First, peel and cut the citron in pieces an inch square; then boil 
in water until soft; drain off the water and add one pound of sugar 
to each pound of citron; to every five pounds of the preserve add 
one pound of raisins, one lemon sliced, half an ounce of white 
cloves, one ounce of stick cinnamon; dissolve the sugar, and when 
hot, add the fruit and simmer slowly for two hours. 

Currant Preserves. 
Take ten pounds of currants and seven pounds of sugar; pick the 
stems from seven pounds of the currants and press the juice from 
the other three pounds; when the juice and sugar are made into a 
hot syrup, put in the currants and boil until thick and rich, 

Beandied Cherries or Berries. 
Make a syrup of a pound of sugar and a half gill of water for 
every two pounds of fruit. Heat to boiling, stirring to prevent 
burning, and pour over the fruit while warm — not hot. Let them 
stand together an hour; put all into a preserving kettle, and heat 
slowly; boil five minutes, take out the fruit with a perforated skim- 
mer, and boil the syrup twenty minutes. Add a pint of brandy for 
every five pounds of fruit; pour over the berries hot, and seal. 

Lemon Preserves. 
One pound of pounded loaf sugar, quarter pound of butter, six 
eggs and the whites of four, well beaten, the rind of two lemons, 
grated, and the juice of three. Mix together and let it simmer till 
of the consistency of honey. Be careful to stir all the time or it 
will burn. 



206 PRESERVES. 

Preserved Oranges. 
Take any number of oranges, with rather more than their weight 
in white sugar. Slightly grate the oranges and score them round 
and round with a knife, but do not cut very deep. Put them in 
cold water for three days, changing the water two or three times a 
day. Tie them up in a cloth, boil them until they are soft enough 
for the head of a pin to penetrate the skin. While they are boiling 
place the sugar on the fire, with rather more than half a pint of 
water to each pound ; let it boil for a minute or two, then strain it 
through muslin. Put the oranges into the syrup till it jellies and 
is a yellow color. Try the syrup by putting some to cool. It must 
not be too stiff. The syrup need not cover the oranges, but they 
must be turned, so that each part gets thoroughly done. 

Preserved Pine-Apple. 

Pare, cut into slices, take out the core of each one, and weigh, 
allowing pound for pound of sugar and fruit. Put in alternate 
layers in the kettle and pour in water, allowing a cup to each pound 
of sugar. Heat to a boil; take out the pine-apple and spread upon 
dishes in the sun. Boil and skim the syrup half an hour. Return 
the pine-apple to the kettle and boil fifteen minutes. Take it out, 
pack in wide-mouth jars, pour on the scalding syrup; cover to keep 
in the heat, and, when cold, tie up, first putting brandied tissue 
paper upon the top. 

To Preserve Plums or Cherries. 

Make a syrujD of clean, brown sugar, and clarify it; when per- 
fectly clear and boiling hot, pour it over the plums, having picked 
out all the unsound ones and stems. Let them remain in the syrup 
two days, then drain it off; make it boiling hot, skim it, and pour 
it over again; let them remain another day or two, then put them 
into a preserving kettle over the fire, and simmer gently until the 
syrup is reduced, and thick or rich. One pound of sugar to each 
l^ound of plums. Small damsons are very fine preserved, as are 



PRESERVES. 207 

cherries, or any other ripe fruit. Clarify the syrup, and when 
boiling hot, put in the plums; let them boil very gently until they 
are cooked, and the syrup rich. Put them in pots or jars the next 
day; secure as directed. 

Purple Plums Preserved. 
Take an equal weight of fruit and nice sugar. Take a clean 
stone jar and fill it with the fruit and sugar in layers. Cover them 
and set the jar in a kettle of water over the fire. Let them stand 
in the boiling water all day, filling up the kettle as the water boils 
away. If at any time they seem likely to ferment, repeat this pro- 
cess. It is a simple and excellent way of preserving plums. 

To Preserve Pears. 
Pare them very thin, and simmer in a thin syrup; let them lie a 
day or two. Make the syrup richer and simmer again. Repeat 
this till they are clear; then drain and dry them in the sun or a cool 
oven a little time; or they may be kept in the syrup and dried as 
wanted, which makes them richer. 

Brandy Peaches. 
Drop the peaches in hot water, let them remain till the skin can 
be ripped off; make a thin syrup, and let it cover the fruit; boil 
the fruit till they can be pierced with a straw; take it out, make a 
very rich syrup, and add, after it is taken from the fire, and while 
It' is still hot, an equal quantity of brandy. Pour this, while it is 
still warm, over the peaches in the jar. They must be covered 
with it. 

Peach Preserves. 

Take any nice peaches that will not cook to pieces, pare them 
and take out the pits; take their weight in sugar, or, if they are 
to be canned, three-fourths pound of sugar to each pound of fruit, and 
a coffee-cup of water to each pound of sugar. Boil part of the pits in 
the water until the flavor is extracted, then remove the pits; add 
about as much water as has evaporated, then add the sugar; skim 



208 PRESERVES. 

thoroughly, then add a small quantity of fruit at a time, cook slowly 
for about ten minutes, skim out into a jar, then add more. When 
all are done, pour the boiling syrup over them. The next day 
drain off the syrup and boil again and pour back; do the same for 
two or three days, then make them air-tight with paper as directed 
for jellies; or, if to be sealed in cans, the first boiling is sufficient. 
Cling stone peaches are preserved the same way, whole, except that 
they must be cooked longer. 

Quince Preserves. 
Pare and core the quinces, and cut into halves or quarters, as suits 
the size of your jars; let them stand over night in enough cold 
water to cover them; in the morning put them in the kettle with 
the same water and let them cook gently until you can just stick-" a 
fork in them; take the fruit out with a skimmer, weigh it and to each 
pound of fruit allow a pound of sugar; put the fruit and sugar inta 
the kettle, with enough of the water to make a good syrup, and let 
them boil gently until they are clear; take out carefully with the 
skimmer and put into the jars; fill the jars to the top with the 
syrup. If there is a large quantity of fruit, and the kettle is not 
large, it is best to put the fruit in the syrup a little at a time. 

Preservhstg Strawt?erries. 
Select the largest and finest strawberries. Hull them, weigh and 
allow to each pound one pound of the best double refined loaf sugar 
finely powdered. Divide the sugar into two equal portions. Put a 
layer of strawberries into the bottom of a preserving kettle and cover 
them with a layer of sugar, until half the sugar is in; next set the 
kettle over a moderate fire and let it boil till the sugar is melted; 
then put in, gradually, the remainder of the sugar, and, after it is all 
in, let it boil hard for five minutes, taking off the scum with a silver 
spoon ; but there will be little or no scum if the sugar is of the very 
best quality. Afterwards remove the kettle from the fire and take 
out the strawberries very carefully in a spoon. Spread out the 
strawberries on large, flat dishes, so as not to touch each other, and 



PRESERVES. 209 

set them immediately in a cold place or on ice. Hang the kettle 
again on the fire, and give the syrup one boil up, skimming it if 
necessary. Place a fine strainer over the top of a mug or pitcher, 
and pour the syrup through it. Then put the strawberries into 
glass jars or tumblers; pour into each an equal portion of the syrup. 
Lay at the top a round piece of white paper dipped in brandy. 
Seal the jars tightly. 

Raspberries may be preserved as above; also large ripe goose- 
berries. To each pound of gooseberries allow one and a half pounds 
sugar. Bury them in a box of sand, or keep in a dark, cool place. 

Green Tomato Preserves. 

Eight poimds small, green tomatoes; pierce each with a fork; 

seven pounds sugar, juice of four lemons, one ounce of ginger and 

mace mixed; heat all together slowly and boil until the fruit is 

clear; remove from kettle with skimmer and spread upon dishes to 

cool; boil the syrup thick; put the fruit in jars and cover with hot 

syrup. 

Ripe Tomato Preserves. 

Seven pounds round yellow or egg tomatoes, peeled, seven 
pounds sugar, juice of three lemons; let them stand together over 
night, drain off the syrup and boil it, skimming well; put in the 
tomatoes, and boil gently twenty minutes; take out the fruit with 
a perforated skimmer and spread upon dishes; boil the syrup down 
until it thickens, adding, just before taking it up, the juice of three 
lemons; put the fruit into the jars and fill up with hot syrup. 
When cold, seal up. 

Spiced Currants. 

Four quarts ripe currants, three pounds brown sugar, one pint 
cider vinegar, one tablespoonful each of allspice and cloves, and a 
•jittle nutmeg and cinnamon. Boil one hour, stirring occasionally. 

Spiced Gooseberries. 
Six quarts of gooseberries, ripe or green, nine pounds of sugar, 
one pint of vinegar (not too strong), one tablespoonful each of 

14 



210 PRESERVES. 

■cinnamon, cloves and allspice. Put the berries in the kettle with 
half the sugar and a little water; boil an hour and a half. When 
nearly done, add the rest of the sugar; set it off the fire and add 
the spices and vinegar. 

Spiced Grapes. 
Five pounds of grapes, three of sugar, two teaspoonfuls of cin- 
namon and allspice, half teaspoonful of cloves; pulp grapes; boil 
until tender; cook pulps and strain through a sieve; add to it the 
spices, put in sugar, spices and vinegar to taste; boil thoroughly 
and cool. 

Spiced Nutmeg Melon. 

Select melons not quite ripe; open, scrape out the pulp, peel and 
slice; put the fruit in a stone jar, and, for five pounds of fruit take 
a quart of vinegar and two and a half pounds of sugar; scald vin- 
egar and sugar together, and pour over the fruit; scald the syrup 
and pour over the fruit for eight successive days. On the ninth, 
add one ounce of stick cinnamon, one of whole cloves, and one of 
allspice; scald fruit, vinegar and spices together, and seal up in 
jars. This pickle should stand two or three months before using. 
Blue plums are very nice prepared in this way. 

Spiced Peaches. 
Five pounds peaches, two of brown sugar, one quart vinegar, one 
ounce each of cinnamon, cloves, and mace. Wipe the peaches and 
boil until done in the vinegar and sugar, then take out, put in spices, 
boil well and pour over. 

Spiced Plums. 

Spiced plums are delicious with cold meat. Cook the plums in a 
little water until they are soft; then, so far as possible, remove the 
stones, sweeten and spice to your taste, and boil until thick; put in 
large-mouthed bottles and seal, or can in the usual way. 



PRESERVES. 211 

Spiced Plums, No. 2. 
Nine pounds blue plums, six pounds sugar, two quarts vinegar, 
one ounce cinnamon; boil vinegar, sugar and spice together, pour 
over plums, draw off next morning and boil; pour back on plums; 
repeat the boiling five mornings, the last time boiling the fruit about 
twenty minutes. 



CHAPTER XVIII. 



VEGETABLES. 

if HE following excellent remarks on the cooking of vegetables; 
are from the pen of Miss Corson: 

Spinach is an excellent dish when well cooked; take twa 
quarts, wash, boil for two minutes in salted boiling water, drain,, 
chop and heat in a frying-pan for two minutes with an ounce each, 
of butter and flour; half a pint of meat broth is added, the com- 
pound is stirred and heated for five minutes, and served with, 
small pieces of fried bread. Second only to spinach are beet 
sprouts; we all know them boiled, but after they are boiled they gain 
in flavor by being fried for two or three minutes in butter. New 
cabbage scalded for five minutes in fast boiling water, coarsely 
chopped, sprinkled with flour, salt and pepper, and gently stewed 
for five minutes with milk or cream enough to cover it, is good. 
So, too, is red cabbage sliced, thrown for fifteen minutes into 
scalding salted water and vinegar, then drained and fried five 
minutes with butter, and served with a little hot meat gravy. Let- 
tuce, which seems devoted to "salad days," is excellent stuffed; it 
is well washed in salted cold water, the roots trimmed off, twa 
tablespoonfuls of cooked force-meat of any kind, or chopped cold 
meat highly seasoned, inclosed within the leaves, which are bound 
together with tape or strips of cloth; several heads thus prepared 
are placed in a saucepan, covered with broth or cold gravy well 
seasoned, and set over the fire to simmer about five minutes; the 
tapes are then removed and the lettuce heads and sauce are served 
liot. A link between cabbage and lettuce are Brussels sprouts^ 

212 



VEGETABLES. 213; 

those tender, baby cabbages, which, stewed in cream, or quickly 
fried in butter, almost incline one's thoughts to vegetarianism. 

Beets are familiar enough boiled and sliced, either served hot 
with butter, pepper and salt, or pickled, but a novelty is a beet 
pudding, made by mixing a pint of cooked sugar beets, chopped, 
with four eggs, a quart of milk, a little salt and pepper, a table- 
spoonful of butter, and baking them about half an hour. Cold boiled 
beets sliced and fried with butter are palatable; to cook them so 
that none of their color shall be lost, carefully wash them without 
breaking the skin or cutting off the roots or stalks, and boil them 
until tender, about an hour, in boiling salted water. 

Turnips, either white or yellow, stewed in gravy, are excellent. 
Choose a quart of small, even size; peel them; boil fifteen minutes in 
well salted boiling water; di-ain them; put them into a frying-pan 
with sufficient butter to prevent burning; brown them; stir in a 
tablespoonful of flour; cover them with hot water; add a palatable 
seasoning of salt and pepper, and stew them gently until tender. 
Or peel and cut them in small regular pieces; bi'own them over the 
fire with a little butter and a slight sprinkling of sugar; add salt 
and pepper and boiling water enough to cover them, and gently stew 
them until tender; serve them hot. 

Parsnips are not sufficiently appreciated, perhaps because of their 
too sweet taste; but this can be overcome to a palatable extent by 
judicious cookery; they are excellent when sliced, after boiling, and 
warmed in a sauce made by mixing flour, butter and milk, over the 
fire, and seasoning it with salt and pepper; as soon as warm they 
are served with a little chopped parsley and a squeeze of lemon 
juice. For parsnips fried brown in an old-fashioned iron pot with 
slices of salt pork and a seasoning of salt and popper, several good 
words might be said. 

Carrots boiled and mashed and warmed with butter, pepper and 
salt deserve to be known; or sliced and quickly browned in butter; 
or tossed for five minutes over the fire with chopped onion, parsley, 
butter, seasonings and sufficient gravy to moisten them; or boiled. 



214 VEGETABLES. 

quartered, heated with cream, seasoned, and, at the moment of 
serving, thickened with the yolk of eggs. 

Onions are capital when sliced and quickly fried in plenty of 
smoking hot fat, or roasted whole until tender, and served with 
butter, pepper and salt; or chosen while still small, carefully peeled 
without breaking, browned in butter, and then simmered tender with 
just boiling water enough to cover them; or boiled tender in broth 
and then heated live minutes in nicely seasoned cream. 

Oyster plant, scraped under cold water, boiled tender in salted 
water containing a trace of vinegar, and then heated with a little 
highly seasoned melted butter, is excellent; the tender leaves which it 
often bears make a nice salad. Somewhat like oyster plant are 
Jerusalem art'ichokes, which are good and cheap in this market- 
Like oyster plant, they must be peeled under water, boiled tender, 
and then served with melted butter, or quickly browned in butter, 
either plain or with chopped herbs, or served with an acid sauce of 
any kind. 

Celery we know best in its uncooked state, but it is very good 
stewed in any brown or white gravy or sauce, or rolled in fritter 
batter and fried brown. 

Squash and pumpkin are very good either boiled, sliced, and 
broiled or fried, or made into fritters like oyster plant. 

Potatoes, most important of all hardy vegetables. Lives there 
a cook with soul so dead as not to be willing to expend all the: 
powers of fire, water and salt to produce mealy potatoes ? If so,, 
the writing of her epitaph would be a cheerful task. And if 
cold ones are left they can rehabilitate themselves in favor by 
appearing chopped, moistened with white sauce or cream, and 
either fried in butter or baked quickly, with a covering of 
bread crumbs. Steam-fried, that is sliced raw, put into a covered 
pan over the fire, with butter and seasoning, and kept covered 
until tender, with only enough stirring to prevent burning, they are 
capital. To fry them Lyonnaise style they are cooled in their 
jackets to keep them whole, sliced about a quarter of an inch 



VEGETABLES. 215 

thick, browned in butter with a little sliced onion, sprinkled with 
chopped parsley, pepper and salt, and served hot. Larded, they 
have bits of fat ham or bacon inserted in them, and are baked 
tender. Note well that the more expeditiously a baked potato is 
cooked and eaten the better it will be. 

Boiling is the ordinary mode of cooking vegetables. The rule is 
to throw them (whether the roots, flowers, foliage, or unripe seeds) 
into cold water, after trimming or other preparation; to let them 
lie there, if shriveled or drooping, until they have recovered their 
natural crispness; then to throw them into soft water, or, if hard 
water, made soft by the addition of a small pinch of carbonate of 
soda; to keep them boiling without the lid (with roots this is imma- 
terial, though it is one means of keeping greens a good color) ; to 
remove all scum as it rises; to cook them enough; and to take them 
up as soon as they are done through, instead of leaving them to 
seethe, and lose their natural juices in the water. 

To this there are exceptions. Peas and beans may be thrown 
into cold water when they are dried, but when green are best not 
thrown into cold water; and the former should be boiled in the 
least quantity of water possible. Potatoes require different treat- 
ment, according to their kind and the soil in which they grew. 
Very mealy or large potatoes, if thrown into boiling water, will fall 
to pieces outside, while still raw in the center; while small, firm, or 
waxy varieties are best thrown into boiling salt water. If you buy 
of the grower, he will often tell you what treatment suits them. 
At any rate, an experiment both ways will soon settle the difficulty. 
But the qualities of potatoes vary, not only with soil and kind, 
but also with the period in the season. We have known potatoes, 
waxy and watery when first dug up, become light and floury in 
February and March, after the eyes have sprouted three or four 
inches. The reason is plain: Superabundant moisture had been 
drawn off, and the starch, which forms one of its component ele- 
ments, had had time to mature itself. 



216 VEGETABLES. 

How TO Cook Potatoes. 
It is well known that a good potato may be spoiled by bad cook- 
ing; and by good management a bad one may be rendered com- 
paratively good. In fact, no vegetable depends more on the cooking 
than a potato. In the first place, if the skin is taken off them 
before boiling, it should not be peeled, but scraped, for the follow- 
ing reasons: If peeled, it is reduced in size considerably; besides, 
the outside removed is the very best part of the root. An iron 
saucepan is preferable to a tin one for cooking them, as it prevents 
their boiling so fast; but the best way is, first to wash them very 
clean, then to put them on the fire with just cold water enough to 
cover them; when it has begun to boil, throw in a handful of salt, 
and add a pint of cold watei", which checks their boiling and gives 
them time to be done through, without allowing them to crack. 
As soon as done, rather under than over, which may be ascertained 
with a fork, pour the water off from them, and replace the pan on 
the fire for a short time, until the remaining moisture is evaporated. 
If not immediately wanted, do not place the lid upon them, or the 
steam will be confined, but cover them with a cloth. New potatoes 
require great caution not to over-boil them, or they will be tasteless 

and watery. 

Artichokes (Jerusaxem), Fried, 

Pare and cut the artichokes into slices about an eighth of an inch 
in thickness, and fry them in sufficient boiling oil or lard for them 
to swim in until they are a rich brown. Strew a little salt over 
them, pile high on a dish, and send to the table hot. 

They may also be peeled and cut pear-shaped and stewed in a 
little salt water, to which a little butter has been added, and used 
as a garnish for a dish of mashed potatoes. 

Asparagus, Boiled. 
Choose bunches of asparagus which have been cut fresh and the 
heads straight. If the cut end is brown and dry, and the heads 
bent on one side, the asparagus is stale. It may be kept a day or 



VEGETABLES. 217 

two with the stalks in cold water, but is much bettei* fresh. Scrape 
off the white skin from the lower end, and cut the stalks of equal 
length; let them lie in cold water until it is time to cook them; put 
-a handful of salt into a gallon of water, and let it boil; tie the 
asparagus into bundles and put them into it; toast a slice of bread 
brown on each side, dip it in the water, and lay it on a dish. When 
the asparagus is sufficiently cooked, dish it on the toast, leaving the 
white ends outward each way. Serve with melted butter. 

Asparagus, Fricasseed. ' 

Wash twenty-five heads of asparagus, cut off the tender portion 
and lay them into cold water until they are required. Drain them 
and chop them with a young head of lettuce, half a head of endive 
and a small onion. Put a piece of butter the size of an egg into a 
saucepan, melt it, then mix with it smoothly a dessert-spoonful of 
£our, and half a pint of stock. Add the chopped vegetables, with 
pepper and salt, and let all stew gently until the sauce is thick and 
good. Serve hot. Time to stew, half an hour. 

Egg Broccoli. 

Take half a dozen heads of broccoli, cut off the small shoots or 
blossoriis and lay them aside for frying; trim the stalks short and 
pare off the rough rind up to the head; wash them well, and lay 
them in salt water for an hour; then put them into plenty of boil- 
ing water (salted) and let them boil fast till quite tender. Put two 
ounces of butter into a saucepan, and stir it over a slow fire till it is 
melted; then add gradually six or eight well-beaten eggs, and stir 
the mixture until it is thick and smooth. Lay the broccoli in the 
center of a large dish, pour the egg around it, and having fried the 
broccoli blossoms, arrange them in a circle near the edge of the 
dish. 

Beets and Potatoes. 

One of the most delicious ways to serve these early vegetables is 
this: Take new potatoes and young beets, boil until done in sepa- 
xate kettles, then slice into the dish in which they are to be put on 



218 VEGETABLES. 

the table; first put a layer of potatoes, sprinkled with pepper and 
salt and little lumps of butter, then a layer of beets, treated in the 
same way, and so on until the dish is full, then pour over all a very 
little sweet cream or milk. 

Lima Beans. 
Shell, wash, and put into boiling water with a little salt; when 
boiled tender, drain and season them, and either dress with cream 
or large lump of butter, and let simmer for a few moments. 

String Beans. 

Choose fine young beans, and be careful they are the right sort. 
The best kind is the case-knife, because they have no strings and 
need only to be broken in two and not cut. Should these not be 
obtainable take the youngest that can be procured; remove the 
thread or string that runs along the pod, then cut them in a slanting 
direction lengthwise in very thin slices, throw them into boiling 
water well salted, and to preserve their color boil without the lid of 
the saucepan. When tender, drain in a colander, put in a small piece 
of butter and a dash of pepper, and give the whole a shake. This 
dish may be varied in a great many ways and with great success. 
Cold beans, with oil and vinegar, make an excellent and refreshing 
salad. They may also, when cooked and drained, be mixed with 
some good brown gravy, and served alone as a course after the 
meat. 

Brussels Sprouts. 

Pick, trim, and wash a number of sprouts. Put them into plenty 
of fast boiling water; add a tablespoonful of salt, keep the sauce- 
pan uncovered and boil very fast for fifteen minutes. Drain as 
soon as done and serve with melted butter. 

Stewed Carrots. 
Scrape and boil whole forty-five minutes. Drain and cut into 
round slices a quarter of an inch thick. Put on a cup of weak 
broth — a little soup if you have it — and cook half an hour. Then 



VEGETABLES. 219 

add three or four tablespoonfuls of milk, a lump of butter rolled in 
flour, with seasoning to taste. Boil up and dish. 

Celery. 

Wash, trim, and scrape the stalks, selecting those that are white 
and tender. Crisp by leaving in ice cold water until they are 
wanted for the table. Arrange neatly in a celery glass. Pass 
between the oysters and the meat. 

Fried Celery. 
Boil the celery entire until tender; drain it, divide into small 
pieces^and fry in dripping until lightly browned. 

Stewed Celery. 
Clean the heads thoroughly. Take off the coarse, green, outer 
leaves. Cut in small pieces, and stew in a little broth. When 
tender, add some rich cream, a little flour, and butter enough to 
thicken the cream. Season with pepper, salt, and a little nutmeg 
if that is agreeable. 

Cream Cabbage. 

Beat together the yolks of two eggs, one-half cup of sugar, one- 
half cup of vinegar, butter size of an egg, salt and a little Cayenne 
pepper. Put the mixture into a saucepan and stir until it boils; 
then stir in one cup of cream; let it boil, and pour over the cabbage 
while hot. 

Cabbage a la Cauliflower. 

Cut the cabbage fine as for slaw; put it into a stewpan, cover 
with water and keep closely covered; when tender, drain off the 
water; put in a small piece of butter with a piece of salt, one-half 
a cup of cream, or one cup of milk. Leave on the stove a few 
minutes before serving. 

Boiled Cabbage. 

Cut off the stalk, remove the faded and outer leaves, and halve, 
or, if large, quarter the cabbages; wash them thoroughly and lay 



:22() VEGETABLES. 

them for a few minutes in water, to which a tablespoonful of vin- 
egar has been added, to draw out any insects that may be lodging 
under the leaves. Drain them in a colander; have ready a large 
pan of boiling hot water, with a tablespoonful of salt and a small 
piece of soda in it, and let the cabbage boil quickly until tender, 
leaving the saucepan uncovered. Take them up as soon as they are 
done, drain them thoroughly and serve. Time to boil : young sum- 
mer cabbages, from ten to fifteen minutes; large cabbages, half an 

hour or more. 

Baked Cabbage, 

Cook as for boiled cabbage, after which drain and set aside until 

cold. Chop fine, add two beaten eggs, a tablespoonful of butter, 

pepper, salt, three tablespoonfuls rich cream; stir well and bake in 

a buttered dish until brown. Eat hot. 

Hot Slaw. 
One small, firm head of cabbage, shred fine, one cup of vinegar, 
one tablespoonful of butter, one tablespoonful of sugar, two table- 
spoonfuls of sour cream, one-half teaspoonful of made mustard, one 
saltspoonf ul of pepper, and the same of salt. Put the vinegar and 
all the other ingredients for the dressing, except the cream, in a 
saucepan and heat to a boil; pour scalding hot over the cabbage; 
return to the saucepan, and stir and toss until all is smoking again; 
take from the fire, stir in the cream, turn into a covered dish and 
set in hot water ten minutes before you send to the table. 

Cauliflower. 
Tliis favorite vegetable should be cut early, while the dew is still 
iipon it; choose those that are close and white, and of medium size. 
Whiteness is a sign of quality and freshness. Great care should be 
taken that there are no caterpillars about the stalk, and to insure 
this, lay the vegetable with its head downward in cold salt and 
water for an hour before boiling it; or, better still, in cold vinegar 
and water. Trim away the outer leaves, and cut the stalks quite 
close. Cauliflowers are in season from the middle of June till the 
middle of November. 



VEGETABLES. * 221 

Cauliflower a la Fbancaish. 
After preparing as above, exit the cauliflower into quarters and 
put into a stewpan and boil until tender; drain and arrange it 
neatly on a dish. Pour over it melted butter. 

Cauliflower with Stuffing. 

Take a saucepan the exact size of the dish intended to be used. 
Cleanse a large, iirm, white cauliflower and cut it into sprigs; throw 
those into boiling salt water for tAVO minutes; then take them out, 
drain, and pack them tightly with the heads downwards, in the 
saucepan, the bottom of which must have been previously covered 
with thin slices of bacon; fill up the vacant spaces with a stufting 
made of three tablespoonfuls of finely minced veal, the same of 
beef suet, four tablespoonfuls of bread crumbs, a little pepper and 
salt, a teaspoonful of chopped parsley, a teaspoonful of minced 
chives, and a dozen small mushrooms, chopped fine. Strew these 
ingredients over the cauliflowers in alternate layers, and pour over 
them three well-beaten eggs. When these are well soaked, add 
suflScient nicely-flavored stock to cover the whole; simmer gently 
till the cauliflowers are tender, and the sauce very much reduced;, 
then turn the contents of the saucepan upside down on a hot dish,, 
and the cauliflowers will be found standing in a savory mixture. 
Cauliflower with Sauce. 

Boil a large cauliflower — tied in netting — in hot salted water, 
from twenty-five to thirty minutes; drain, serve in a deep dish 
with the flower upwards and pour over it a cup of drawn butter in 
which has been stirred the juice of a lemon and a half teaspoonful 
of French mustard, mixed up well with the sauce. 
Corn, for "Wn!rrER Use. 

Cut the corn from the cob (raw) before it gets too hard; to each 
gallon of cut corn add two scant cups of salt, pack tightly in a jar 
(don't be afraid of getting the jar too large), cover with a white 
cloth, put a heavy weight to keep tho corn under the brine which 



222 # VEGETABLES. 

soon forms; now the most important part is to wash the cloth every 
morning for two weeks, or the corn will taste queerly. If the corn 
is too salty, freshen before cooking. This is as good as canned 
corn, and is much easier put up. Put tomatoes in jugs and seal 
with good corks and sealing wax; get a large funnel, and you can 
put up as fast and as much as you please. 

Baked Corn. 
Grate one dozen eai-s sweet corn; one cup milk, small piece but- 
ter; salt, and bake in pudding dish one hour. 

Green Corn on the Cob. 
Take off the outside leaves and the silk, letting the innermost 
leaves remain on until after the corn is boiled, which renders the 
corn much sweeter. Boil for half an hour in plenty of water, drain, 
and, after removing the leaves, serve. 

Corn Oysters. 
Eight ears of sweet corn, grated; two cups of milk, three eggs, 
salt and pepper; flour enough to make a batter. Put a tablespoon- 
ful of butter into a frying pan and drop the mixture into the hot 
butter — a spoonful in a place; brown on both sides. Serve hot for 
"breakfast or as a side dish for dinner. 

Stewed Corn. 
Stew one quart of canned corn in its own liquor, setting the 
vessel containing it in an outer one of hot water; should the corn 
be dry, add a little cold water; when tender, pour in enough milk 
to cover the corn, bring to a boil, and put in a tablespoonful of 
butter rolled in flour, and salt to taste. Stew gently, stirring well, 
three or four minutes and turn into a deep dish. Keep the vessel 
■containing the corn closely covered while it is cooking; the steam 
facilitates the process and preserves the color of the corn. 

Stewed Cucumbers. 
Cut the cucumbers fully half an inch thick right through; put 



VEGETABLES. 223 

them in a saucepan, just covering them with hot water, and let them 

boil slowly for a quarter of an hour, or until tender, but not so as 

to break them; then drain them; you want now a pint of good cream, 

and put your cream, with a teaspoonful of butter, in a saucepan, 

and when it is warm put in the cucumbers; season with a little salt 

and white pepper, cook five minutes, shaking the saucepan all the 

time, and serve hot. It is just as delicate as asparagus, and a very 

nice dish indeed. 

Celery, 

This vegetable imparts an agreeable and peculiar flavor to soups, 
sauces, etc. It is generally eaten raw, the brittle stalks with salt; 
but there are many ways in which it may be nicely prepared, and 
when cooked it is more digestible and equally palatable. When 
the roots are not to be had, the pounded seed is an excellent sub- 
stitute for flavoring. It is in season from October to February, and 
is better when it has been touched by the frost. 

Fried Celery, 
Cold boiled celery will answer for this purpose. Split the heads 
and dip them into clarified butter, or dip them into a batter, and 
fry a light brown. Garnish the dish prettily with parsley. 

Carrots. • 
This vegetable should be served with boiled beef. When the 
carrots are young they should be washed and rubbed, not scraped, 
before cooking, then rubbed with a clean, coarse cloth after boiling. 
Young carrots need to be cooked about half an hour, and full grown 
ones from one hour and a half to two hours. They are excellent 
for flavoring, and contain a great amount of nourishment. 

Carrots Boiled. 
Wash and prepare the carrots. Throw them into plenty of 
I)oiling water with salt. Keep them boiling till tender, and serve 
with melted butter; or they may be boiled with beef and a few 
placed rormd the dish to garnish, and the rest sent to table in a 
tureen. 



224 VEGETABLES. 

Dandelions. * 

Cut off the leaves, pick over carefully, wash thoroughly, put int* 
boiling water and boil a half hour; drain well and put into salted, 
boiling water and boil till tender. When done drain in a colander^ 
season with butter, salt and pepper; or they may be boiled with 
salt pork or corned beef, omitting the butter. They are good from, 
early spring until they blossom. 

Endive Stewed. 

Strip off the outer green leaves from the heads of endive. Wash 
thoroughly, soak in salted water to dislodge the insects; then draia 
and boil for twenty-five minutes in water salted slightly. Have 
ready a stewpan with an ounce of butter, drain the endive and put 
it into the pan, and add a saltspoonful of salt, pepper, and a gill of 
cream. Serve hot. 

Egg Plant. 

Pare and cut in slices half an inch thick; sprinkle with salt; cover 
and let stand for an hour. Rinse in clear cold water; wipe each 
slice dry; dip first in beaten Ggg, then in rolled cracker or bread 
crumbs. Season with pepper and salt, and fry brown in butter. 

Egg Plant, No. 2. 

Boil until quite tender, then mash and add bread crumbs, pepper,, 
salt, onions and butter or lard; put in a pan and bake until brown. 
You can put in all these things to your own taste, then you can 
boil and mash as before; season with salt and pepper, and add a 
little flour or meal as you like best. Make into little cakes and fry. 
These are nice. They should be picked when full grown, but 
before they are ripe. 

Fricasseed Egg Plant. 

Having peeled and sliced the egg plants, boil them in water witli 
a saltspoonful of salt, until they are thoroughly cooked. Drain off 
the water, pour in sufficient milk to cover the slices, and add a few 



VEGETABLES. 225 

bits of butter rolled in flour; let it simmer gently, shaking the pan 
over the fire till the sauce is thick, and stir in the beaten yolks of 
two or three eggs just before it is served. 

Stuffed Egg Plants. 
Halve and parboil. When soft enough to stick with a fork 
remove from the water and let cool. Then cut out the inside, being 
careful not to break the skin. Next take bread that has been 
previously soaked in water. Squeeze as dry as possible and mix 
with the pulp of the vegetable. Add to thdt a good sized tomato, 
the juice of an onion, a little parsley and two or three eggs, season 
with pepper and salt, and the filling is ready for use. Before 
putting into the stove sprinkle with toasted bread crumbs. An- 
other and quicker way to make the stuffing is to mix the pulp with 
the juice of an onion, a tomato and a couple of eggs. Thicken with 
boiled rice and season to taste. 

Garlic. 
Garlic requires to be used most judiciously, or it will spoil what- 
ever is cooked with it. If used carefully, however, it will impart a 
most delicious flavor to salads and sauces; but it is so strong that, 
for many dishes, all that is necessary is to rub the dish which is to 
be sent to table sharply round with a slice of it; or, better still, to 
rub it on a crust of bread, and put the bread into the soup, etc., for 
a few minutes. A very general prejudice exists against garlic, 
probably on account of its being used in the same way as an onion. 
If it is desired to diminish the strength of the flavor, this may be 
done by boiling the garlic in two or three waters. 

Greens, Stewed. 
Take a bunch of fresh greens, wash in several waters; drain them 
well and throw them into plenty of fast boiling water, salted and 
skimmed, and boil them for ten minutes. Take them up, press the 
water from them, and throw them into cold water for half an hour; 
drain them, cover with stock, and add a bunch of herbs, an onion, 

15 



226 VEGETABLES. 

one clove, a slice of fat bacon, and a little pepper and salt. Stew 
very gently until tender. Serve with mutton, lamb, or veal. 

Horse-radish as Garnish. 
Wash and scrub the horse-radish thoroughly; let it lie for an hour 
in cold water; then scrape it very finely with a sharp knife; arrange 
it in little bunches around the dish, or, if there is gravy with the 
meat, put it in a small glass dish near the carver. 

Lettuce. 
There are two sorts of lettuces, the cabbage and the cos. They 
are chiefly used for salad, but may be also boiled or stewed, and 
served as a vegetable. They may be had all the year, but are in 
full season from April to September. 

Lettuce, Stuefed. 

Wash four or five large heads of lettuce; boil them in plenty of 
T^alt and water for fifteen minutes; throw them at once into cold 
water, and afterwards let them drain. Open them, fill them with 
good veal forcemeat, tie the ends securely, and put them into a 
stewpan with as much good gravy as will cover them, a teaspoonf ul 
of salt, half a teaspoonf ul of pepper, and a teaspoonf ul of vinegar. 
Simmer gently for another fifteen minutes, remove the strings, 
place them on a hot dish, and pour the gravy around them. 

Macaroni. 
Three long sticks of macaroni, broken in small pieces; soak in a 
pint of milk two hours ; grate bread and dried cheese. Put a layer 
of macaroni in a pudding dish; add pepper, salt and butter; then 
sprinkle the bread and cheese crumbs over it, and so continue until 
the dish is filled. Bake until brown. 

Macaroni as a Vegetable. 
Simmer one-half pound of macaroni in plenty of water till tender, 
l)ut not broken; strain off the water. Take the yolks of five and 
the whites of two eggs, one-half pint of cream, white meat and ham 



VEGETABLES. 227 

chopped very fine, three spoonfuls of grated cheese; season with 
salt and pepper; heat all together, stirring constantly. Mix with 
the macaroni; put into a buttered mold and steam one hour. 
Macaroni with Oysters. 
Boil macaroni in saltwater, after which draw through a colander; 
take a deep earthen dish or tin; put in alternate layers of macaroni 
and oysters; sprinkle the layers of macaroni with grated* cheese; 

take until brown. 

Macaroni with Tomatoes. 

Boil one-half pound of macaroni till tender, pour off all the 
water, then add one-half cup sweet cream, one-third of a cup of 
butter, pepper and salt; let simmer for a short time, but be careful 
that it does not become much broken; turn into vegetable dish; 
have ready one pint stewed tomatoes, season with butter, salt and 
pepper, pour over the macaroni. 

Stewed Macaroni. 
Boil two ounces of macaroni in water, and di-ain well; put into a 
saucepan one ounce of butter, mix with one tablespoonful of flour, 
moisten with four tablespoonfuls of veal or beef stock, one gill of 
cream, salt and white pepper to taste; put in the macaroni, let it 
boil up, and serve while hot. 

Boiled Onions. 

Skin them thoroughly. Put them to boil; when they have boiled 
a few minutes, pour off the water and add clean cold water, and set 
them to boil again. Pour this away, and add more cold water, 
when they may boil till done. This will make them white and 
clear, and very mild in flavor. After they are done, pour off all the 
water, and dress with a little cream; salt and pepper to taste. 

Boil in two waters, drain, and if they are large, cut into quarters 
and pour over them a cup of scalding milk in which a pinch of soda 
has been stirred ; set over the fire, add a tablespoonful of butter, 
half teaspoonful corn starch wet with milk, a little minced parsley, 
with pepper and salt. Simmer and pour out. 



228 VEGETABLES. 

Boiled Okra. 
Put the young and tender pods of long, white okra into salted 
boiling water in a porcelain or tin-lined saucepan (as iron discolors 
it), boil fifteen minutes, take off stems, and serve with butter, 
pepper, salt and vinegar if preferred; or, after boiling, slice in 
rings, season with butter, dip in batter and fry; season and serve; 
or stew an equal quantity of tomatoes and tender sliced okra, and 
one or two sliced green peppers; stew in porcelain kettle fifteen 
or twenty minutes, season with butter, pepper and salt and serve. 

Okion Ormoloo. 
Peel ten or twelve large white onions, steep them an hour in cold 
water, then boil them soft. Mash them with an equal quantity of 
boiled white potatoes, adding half a pint of milk and two or three 
well-beaten eggs. Stir the mixture very hard, season it with, 
nutmeg, pepper and salt, and bake it in a quick oven; when half 
done pour a little melted butter or gravy over the top. 

Scalloped Onions. 

Boil till tender six large onions; afterward separate them with a. 
large spoon; then place a layer of onion and a layer of grated bread 
crumbs alternately in a pudding dish; season with pepper and salt 
to taste; moisten with milk; put into the oven to brown. 

Wash but do not peel the onions; boil one hour in boiling water 
slightly salt, changing the water twice in the time; when tender,^ 
drain on a cloth, and roll each in buttered tissue paper, twisted at 
the top, and bake an hour in a slow oven. Peel and brown them;, 
^erve with melted butter. 

Vegetable Oyster. 
One bunch of oysters; boil and mash. One pint sour milk, half 
a teaspoonful soda; flour to make a batter; add two eggs, beaten, 
and the oysters. Fry in hot lard — drop in spoonfuls. 



VEGETABLES. 229> 

Mock Stewed Oysters. 
One bunch oyster plant, eight teaspoonfuls butter, a little flour 
or corn starch, vinegar and water for boiling, pepper and salt, one- 
half c«p milk. Wash and scrajje the oyster plant very carefully; drop 
into weak vinegar and water, bring quickly to a boil, and cook ten 
minutes; turn off the vinegar water; rinse the salsify in boiling 
water; throw this out and cover with more from the tea-kettle; stew 
gently ten minutes longer; add pepper and salt and two tablespoon- 
fuls of butter; stew in this until tender. Meanwhile heat in a. 
farina kettle the milk, thicken, add the remaining butter, and keep 
dry until the salsify is done, then transfer it to this sauce; pepper 
and salt; let all lie together in the inner kettle, the water in the 
outer at a slow boil, for five minutes; pour into a covered dish. 

Parsley. 
The foliage of parsley is of use in flavoring soups, etc.; it is 
nutritious and stimulating. 

Ckisp Parsley. 

This is used for garnishing dishes. Pick and wash young parsley, 
shake it in a cloth to dry it thoroughly, and spread it on a sheet of 
clean paper and put in the oven. Turn the bunches frequently 
until they are quite crisp. Parsley is much more easily crisped 
than fried. 

Parsley, Fried. 

Wash and dry the parsley thoroughly; put it into hot fat and let 

it remain until it is crisp; take it out immediately and drain it in a 

colander. If the parsley is allowed to remain in the fat one moment 

after it is crisp it will be sjioiled. Parsley is best fried in a frying 

basket. 

Parsnips. 

Parsnips may be dressed in the same way as carrots, which they 
very much resemble. When boiled, they are generally served witli 
l)oiled meat, or boiled salt fish; when fried, with roast mutton. If 



230 VEGETABLES. 

young, thoy require only to be washed and scraped before they are 

boiled. If old and large, the skin must be pared off, and the roots 

cut into quarters. Carrots and parsnips are often sent to the 'table 

together. It should be remembered that parsnips are more quickly 

boiled than carrots. 

Fried Parsnips. 

Boil until tender in hot water slightly salted; let them get almost 
cold, scrape off the skin, and cut in thick, long slices; dredge with 
flour and fry in hot dripping, turning as they brown; drain very dry 
in a hot colander; pepper and salt to serve. 

Parsnip Stew. 
Three slices of salt pork, boil one hour and a half; scrape five 
large parsnips, cut in quartei-s lengthwise, add to the pork and let 
boil one-half hour, then add a few potatoes, and let all boil together 
until the potatoes are soft; the fluid in the kettle should be about 
a cupful when ready to take off. 

Canned Pease. 
Open a can of pease an hour before cooking them, that there may 
be no musty, airless taste about them, and turn into a bowl. When 
ready for them, put on a farina-kettle — or one saucepan within 
another — of hot water. If dry, add cold water to cover them, and 
stew about twenty-five minutes; drain, stir in a generous lump of 
butter; pepper and salt. 

French Way of Cooking Pease. 
Put your pease in a nice dish, where they will not turn black in 
cooking. Cut up fine one small head of lettuce; put in a few sprigs 
of parsley, tied up; salt and pepper; enough of water to cover the 
pease. Cook gently until tender, one and three-quarters of an hour, 
then drain off most of the water; dissolve one full teaspoonful of 
flour in water and stir in; add one-half tablespoonful of butter, 
one-half cup of sweet milk and one lump of sugar; cook about ten 
minutes; just before serving stir in one yolk of an egg, previously 
beaten with a little water. 



VEGETABLES. 231 

No, 2. — Put some thin slices of bacon in a skillet and brown a. 
little on both sides; then put in your pease, with one large onion cut 
in four, one head of lettuce, and a few sprigs of parsley, tied up,, 
water enough to cover them; salt and pepper (not much salt, as the 
bacon salts them); cook one hour. Ten minutes before serving 
sprinkle a little flour to thicken the gravy. Remove the bunch of 
lettuce and parsley. 

Green Pease. 

Boil a quart of young, freshly-gathered pease in slightly salted 
water until they are tender; then drain them in a colander. Melt 
two ounces of fresh butter over the fire, mix smoothly with a dessert- 
spoonful of flour, and add very gradually a cup of thick cream, 
or, failing this, use new milk. When the sauce boils, put in the 
pease, stir them until they are quite hot, and serve immediately. 

Potato Balls. 
Bake the potatoes, mash them very nicely, make them into balls,, 
rub them over with the yolk of an egg, and put them in the oven 
or before the fire to brown. These balls may be varied by the^ 
introduction of a third portion of grated ham or tongue. 

Browned Potatoes. 
While the meat is roasting, and an hour before it is served, boil 
the potatoes and take off their skins; flour them well, and put them 
under the meat, taking care to dry them from the drippings before 
they are sent to the table. Kidney potatoes are best dressed in 
this way. The flouring is very essential. They should always be 
boiled a little before being put into stews, as the first water in 
which they are cooked is thought to be of a poisonous quality. 
Potatoes when boiled, if old, should be peeled and put whole upon 
the gridiron until nicely browned. 

English Potato Balls. 
Boil some potatoes very dry; mash them as smoothly as possible; 
season well with salt and pepper; warm them, with an ounce of 



232 VEGETABLES. 

butter to every pound of potatoes, and a few spoonfuls of good 

cream; let them cool a little, roll them into balls; sprinkle over 

them some crushed vermicelli or macaroni, and fry them a light 

brown. 

Southern Baked Potatoes. 

Parboil, or take the cold ones left over from dinner; place in a 

deep pie pan; between each layer sprinkle sugar; over the top drop 

small drops of butter and more sugar, about one small cup of sugar 

and one spoonful of butter to a plate of potatoes. Then pour over 

all one-half cup of butter and set in oven to bake. The common 

pumjjkin is delicious jDrepared in the same way, using, instead of 

sugar, syrup or molasses. The pumpkin must be thoroughly 

steamed before baking, and requires two hours' baking. Some 

cooks add spice. 

Cream Potatoes. 

Pare and cut the potatoes into small squares or rounds, cook 

twenty minutes in boiling water and a little salt. Turn this off, 

add a cup of milk, and when this bubbles up a tablespoonful of 

butter, with a teaspoonful of water, wet up with cold milk; also a 

little chopped parsley; simmer five minutes and pour out. 

Potato Croquettes. 
Take six boiled potatoes, pass them through a sieve ; add to them 
three tablespoonf uls of ham grated or minced finely, a little grated 
nutmeg, pepper and salt to taste, and some chopped parsley; work 
into this mixture the yolks of three or four eggs, then fashion it 
into the shape of balls, roll them in bread crumbs, and fry in hot 
lard, and serve with fried parsley. 

Potato Cake. 
Take potatoes, mashed ones are best, but boiled ones can be 
mashed, immediately after dinner, before getting too cold; add 
about an equal amount of flour and a small piece of butter or lard; 
rub thoroughly together, roll out and cut as for biscuit — not too 
thick — and bake in a rather quick oven. When done to a light 
l>rown, cut open, butter and eat warm. 



VEGETABLES. 233 

Fried Potatoes. 
Take cold boiled potatoes, grate them, make them into flat cakes, 
and fry them in butter. You may vary these cakes by dipping 
them in the beaten yolk of an egg and rolling them in bread crumbs, 
frying them in boiling lard. 

Fried Potatoes, No. 2. 

Raw potatoes, peel, cut in rings the thickness of a shilling, or 
cut in one continuous shaving; throw them into cold water until 
you have sufficient; drain on a cloth; fry quickly in plenty of hot 
fat, and with as little color as possible; dry them well from the 
grease, and sprinkle with salt. When nicely done, and piled up 
properly, they make a fine side dish, which is always eaten with 
great relish. 

Or cut a potato lengthwise the size and shape of the divisions of 
an orange, trim them neatly and fry them; they are an excellent 
garnish for meat. Cold potatoes may be cut in slices somewhat 
less than an inch thick, and fried in like manner. They can also be 
fried with onions, as an accompaniment to pork chops, sliced cod, 
red herring, or with a rasher of bacon. 

Another nice way is to boil them and let them become cold, then 
cut them into rather thin slices. Put a lump of fresh butter into a 
stewpan, add a little flour, about a teaspoonf ul for a moderate-sized 
dish; when the flour has boiled a short time in the butter add a 
cup of water and a little cream; boil all together; then put in the 
potatoes covered with chopped parsley, pepper and salt; stew them 
for a few minutes, and then take them from the fire and send to the 
table. 

Mashed Potatoes. 

Steam or boil potatoes until soft, in salted water; pour off the 
"water and let them drain perfectly dry; sprinkle with salt and 
mash ; have ready some hot milk or cream in which has been melted 
a piece of butter; pour this on to the potatoes, and stir until white 
and very light. 



234 VEGETABLES. 

Potato Surprise. 
Scoop out the inside of a sound potato, leaving the skin attached 
at one side of the hole, as a lid. Mince finely the lean of a juicy- 
mutton chop with a little salt and pepper; put it in the potato, 
fasten down the lid, and bake or roast. Before serving (in its skin) 
add a little hot gravy if the mince seems too dry. 

Potato Puff. 
Take two cups of cold mashed potato, and stir into it two table- 
spoonfuls of melted butter, beating to a white cream before adding 
anything else. Then put with this two eggs whipped very light 
and a cup of cream or milk, salting to taste. Beat all well, pour 
into a deep dish, and bake in a quick oven until it is nicely browned. 

Potato Pie. 
Butter a shallow pie dish rather thickly. Line the edges with a 
good crust, and then fill the pie 
with mashed potatoes, seasoned 
with pepper, salt, and grated nut- 
meg. Lay over them some marrow, 
together with' small lumps of but- 
ter, hard-boiled eggs, blanched almonds, sliced dates, sliced lemon and 
candied peel. Cover the dish with pastry, and bake the pie in a 
well-heated oven for half an hour or more, according to the size of 
the pie. 

Puree of Potatoes. 

Mash them and mix while quite hot with some fine white grayy 
drawn from veal, together with butter and cream. The puree 
should be rather thin and seasoned with salt and pepper. 

Potato Loaves. 

These are very nice when eaten with roast beef, and are made of 

mashed potatoes prepared without milk, by mixing them with a 

quantity of very finely-minced raw onions, pow(iered with pepper 

and salt; then beating up the whole with a little butter to bind it. 




VEGETABLES. 235 

and dividing it into small loaves of a conical form, and placing 
them under the meat to brown ; that is, when it is so nearly done as 
to impart some of the gravy along with the fat. 

Saratoga Potatoes. 

Pare and cut into very thin slices four large potatoes (new pota- 
toes are best) ; let stand for a few minutes in cold salt water, then 
take a handful of the potatoes, squeeze the water from them, dry 
in a napkin, and separating the slices, drop into a skillet of boiling 
lard, taking care that they do not stick together; stir till they are 
of a light brown color, take out with a wire spoon, drain well and 
serve immediately. 

Lyonnaise Potatoes. 

Boil the potatoes with their jackets on and allow them to cool in 
order to have them solid. Peel and cut into slices about a quai'ter 
of an inch thick; slice an ordinary sized onion for half a dozen 
potatoes. As soon as a tablespoonf ul of butter has melted in the 
pan, and the onion begun to color, put in the slices of potatoes. 
Stir them a little; season with salt and pepper; fry the potatoes 
until they are a golden brown, and then chop up a tablespoonful of 
parsley and sprinkle it over them just before taking them out. 

Old Potatoes. 
These can be made to look like young ones in this way: Wash 
some large ones and cut them into as many small slices as will fill a 
dish; boil them in two or three waters about three minutes each 
time, the water being put to them cold; then let them steam until 
tender; pour a white sauce over them. Potatoes prepared in this, 
way have been mistaken for young ones. 

Tossed Potatoes. 
Boil some potatoes in their skins; peel them and cut into small 
pieces; toss them over the fire in a mixture of cream, butter rolled 
in flour, pepper and salt, till they are hot and well covered with the' 
sauce. 



236 VEGETABLES. 

Sweet Potatoes. 

Sweet potatoes require more time to cook than common potatoes. 

To Boil. — Take large, fine potatoes, wash clean, boil with the 
skins on in plenty of water, but without salt. They will take at 
least one hour. Drain off the water and set them for a few minutes 
in a tin pan before the fire, or in the stove, that they may be well 
dried. ■ Peel them before sending them to the table. 

To Fry. — Choose large potatoes, half boil them, and then, hav- 
ing taken off the skins, cut the potatoes into slices and fry in butter 
or in nice drippings. 

To Bake. — Bake as the common potato, except give them a 
longer time. 

Baked Sweet Potatoes. 

Select those which are nearly of a size, not too large; steam them 

until nearly done, and then bake them until they are soft at the 

heart. 

A Farmer's Dainty Dish. 

Peel and slice thin potatoes and onions (five potatoes to one small 
onion) ; take half a pound of sweet salt pork (in thin slices) to a 
pound of beef, mutton or veal; cut the meat in small pieces; take 
some nice bread dough and shorten a little; line the bottom of the 
stewpan with slices of pork, then a layer of meat, potatoes and 
onions, dust over a little pepper and cover with a layer of crust; 
repeat this until the stewpot is full. The size of the pot will 
depend on the number in the family. Pour in sufiicient water to 
oover, and finish with crust. Let it simmer until meat, vegetables, 
etc., are done, but do not let it boil hard. Serve hot. This we are 
assured by one who knows is a dish fit to set before a king. 

Rice as a Vegetable. 

It should first be picked over, washed, and dried. Then put in 

Trolling water, and salt and boil twelve minutes. There should be 

plenty of water. At the end of ten or twelve minutes, pour oft" the 

water, cover up the rice, and set on the back of the stove on a 



VEGETABLES. 237 

brick; let it steam there for fifteen minutes; if it has been in a. 
sufficiently hot place to steam it will now be done, and every grain 
will be distinct; pour off the water, and, for every cup of rice, add 
half a cup of milk and stir. The milk is better warmed before add- 
ing it to the rice. 

Succotash. 

Ten ears green corn, one pint Lima beans; cut the corn from the 
cob, and stew gently with the beans until tender. Use as little 
water as possible. Season with butter, salt and pepper — milk, if 
you choose. 

Spinach. 

When cooking spinach, substitute a little piece of bacon for the 
salt poi'k usually cooked with it to season it. The nicest way to 
serve it is to put a bit of the bacon in each dish. Hard-boiled 
eggs, sliced when cold, are also liked with the greens. 

Ckeam of Spinach, 

Take the leaves of spinach — no stalks — wash thoroughly; put 
them into enough salt boiling water to cover them. When boiled 
tender, take them out and put them into cold water to fix the fresh 
green color. Let them remain until cold and then rub them, 
through a colander with a potato-masher. The spinach is then 
ready for table use. 

Winter Squash. 

Pare, cut up and cook soft in boiling water and a little salt. 
Drain, mash smooth, pressing out all the water; work in butter, 
pepper and salt, and mound in a deep dish. 

Stuffed Squash. 
Pare a small squash and cut off a slice from the top; extract the 
seeds and lay one hour in salt water; then fill with a good stuffing 
of crumbs, chopped salt pork, parsley, etc., wet with gravy; put on 
the top slice; set the squash in a pudding dish; put a few spoonfuls 
of melted butter and twice as much hot water in the bottom; cover 



238 VEGETABLES. 

tlie dish very closely and set in the oven two hours or until tender; 
lay within a deep dish and pour the gravy over it. 

Turnips. 
Pare and cut into pieces; put them into boiling water well salted, 
and boil until tender; drain thoroughly, and then mash and add a 
piece of butter, pepper and salt to taste, and a small teaspoonful of 
sugar. Stir until they are thoroughly mixed, and serve hot. 

Mashed Turnips. 
Pare, quarter and cook tenderly in boiling water; a little salt. 
Mash and press in a heated colander; work in butter, pepper and 
salt; heap smoothly in a deep dish and put pepper on top. 

Tomatoes a la Cream. 

Pare and slice ripe tomatoes — one quart of fresh ones or a pound 
can; stew until perfectly smooth, season with salt and pepper, and 
add a piece of butter the size of an egg; just before taking from 
the fire, stir in one cup of cream, with a tablespoonful of flour 
stirred smooth in a part of it; do not let it boil after the flour is 
put in. Have ready in a dish pieces of toast; pour the tomatoes 
over this and serve. 

Browned Tomatoes. 

Take large round tomatoes and halve them, place them, the skin 
side down, in a frying-pan in which a very small quantity of butter 
and lard have been previously melted, sprinkle them with salt and 
pepper, and dredge well with flour. Place the pan on a hot part 
of the fire, and let them brown thoroughly; then stir, and let them 
brown again, and so on until they are quite done. They lose their 
acidity, and their flavor is superior to stewed tomatoes. 

Baked Tomatoes. 
One can of tomatoes, stale bread crumbed fine, one tablespoonful 
of butter, pepper, salt, a little chopped parsley, and white sugar. 
Drain off two-thirds of the liquor from the tomatoes (the rest can 



VEGETABLES. 239 

he saved for to-morrow's soup). Cover the bottom of a bake-dish 
with crumbs; Lay the tomatoes evenly upon this bed; season with 
pepper, salt, sugar, and parsley, with bits of butter here and there. 
Strew bread crumbs over all, a thicker layer than at the bottom; put 
tiny pieces of butter upon this and bake, covered, about thirty-live 
minutes. Take off the cover and brown upon the upper shelf of the 
oven. Do not let it stay there long enough to get dry. 

Baked Tomatoes, No, 2. 
Cut in slices good fresh tomatoes (not too ripe) ; put a layer of 
them in a dish suitable for baking; then a layer of bread crumbs 
over them, salt, pepper, and plenty of butter, another layer of 
tomatoes, and so on until the dish is full. Bake one hour. 

Broiled Tomatoes. 
Cut large tomatoes in two, crosswise ; put on gridiron, cut surface 
•down; when well seared, turn, and put butter, salt and pepper on, 
and cook with skin-side down until done. 

Fried Tomatoes. 

Cut the tomatoes in slices without skinning; pepper and salt 

them; then sprinkle a little flour over them and fry in butter until 

brown. Put them on a hot platter and pour milk or cream into 

the butter and juice. When boiling hot, pour over the tomatoes 

Scalloped Tomatoes. 
Butter an earthen dish, then put in a layer of fresh tomatoes, 
sliced and peeled, and a few rinds of onion (one large onion for the 
whole dish), then cover with a layer of bread crumbs, with a little 
butter, salt and pepper. Repeat this process until the dish is full. 
Bake for an hour in a pretty hot oven. 

Stuffed Tomatoes. 
Choose a dozen large, round tomatoes; cut them off smooth at 
the stem end; take out the seeds and pulp; take a pound of lean 
steak and two slices of bacon; chop them fine, with the inside of 



240 VEGETABLES. 

the tomatoes; season with a finely-chopped onion, fried, a dessert- 
spoonful of salt, half a teaspoonful of white peppei", as much 
Cayenne pepper as you can take on tlie end of a knife and a table- 
spoonful of finely-chopped parsley; add four rolled crackers, and if 
too stiff, thin with stock, water or cold gravy; fill the tomatoes with 
this forcemeat, packing tight; sift cracker crumbs over the top^ 
and bake for an hour in a moderate oven. 

French Batter for Frying Vegetables. 
Moisten a little flour with water, and add to it a small quantity 
of salt, a tablespoonful of olive oil, and a spoonful and a half of 
Fi-ench brandy. Beat up the mixture thoroughly, and, when you 
are ready to use it, beat into it the white of an egg previously 
beaten to a strong froth. This batter may be used for frying 
sweet entre')nets, in which case sugar must be used instead of salt. 

Rules for Cooking Them. 
Green vegetables should be thoroughly washed in cold water and 
then dropped into water that has been salted and is beginning to 
boil. There should be a tablespoonful of salt to each two quarts of 
water. If the water boils long before the vegetables are put in, it 
has lost all its gases, and the mineral ingredients are deposited on 
the bottom and sides of the kettle, so that the water is flat and 
tasteless, then the vegetables will not look well or have a fine flavor. 
The time for boiling green vegetables depends much upon the age 
and time they have been gathered. The younger and more freshly 
gathered the more quickly they are cooked. Below is a very good 
time-table for cooking vegetables; 

Potatoes boiled, thirty minutes. 

Potatoes baked, forty-five minutes. 

Sweet potatoes boiled, fifty minutes. 

Sweet potatoes baked, sixty minutes. 

Squash boiled, twenty-five minutes. 

Green pease boiled, twenty to forty minutes. 

Shelled beans boiled, sixty minutes. 



VEGETABLES. 241 

String beans boiled, one to two hours. 

Green corn, thirty to sixty minutes. 

Asparagus, fifteen to thirty minutes. 

Spinach, one to two hours. 

Tomatoes, fresh, one hour. 

Tomatoes, canned, thirty minutes. 

Cabbage, forty-five minutes to two hours. 

Cauliflower, one or two hours. 
, Dandelions, two or three hours. 

Beet greens, one hour. 

Onions, one or two hours. 

Beets, one to five hours. 

Turnips, white, forty-five to sixty minutes. 

Turnips, yellow, one and a half to two hours. 
Parsnips, one or two hours. 
Carrots, one or two hours. 



CHAPTER XIX. 

FISH. 

^ji^ISH, when considered with reference to the nourishment which 
,f^(P) they contain, appear to rank between animals and vegetables. 
^^ When fish is consumed as the principal article of food, larger 
quantities are required than when meat is used, owing to the smaller 
amount of nourishment that it contains. From this cause, and, also, 
because fish is so much more easily digested than meat, food is 
required much sooner after a meal of fish than when animal food is 
taken. Owing to its greater digestibility than meat, fish is better 
adapted to invalids, more especially as it does no% produce feverish- 
ness like meat diet. 

The most digestible kinds of fish are those with white flesh, such 
as the cod, turbot, sole, whiting, haddock and flounder, the flesh of 
all these presenting a whitish appearance. Of the fish just men- 
tioned, the whiting, haddock and flounder are easiest of digestion. 

The flesh of fish when in good condition is always fleshy and 
opaque; when it is of a bluish color, or appears slightly transparent 
after being boiled, it proves either that the fish is out of season, or 
of inferior quality. 

Sometimes fish have been found to exert a poisonous action on 
the system, producing headache, giddiness, and an eruption on the 
skin resembling that produced by being stung with nettles. In 
some cases, even death has been caused by this means. Although 
it may be true in some cases, that the ill effects produced by fish 
may be due to the bad condition of health in which the patient 
Lappens to be at the time, yet in most cases it can only be attrib- 

242 



FISH. 243 

uted to some poisonous principle developed in the fish. This may 
1)6 due to their being eaten in a season when the fish is out of health, 
and, thereforej unfit for food, or it may be produced by the poison- 
ous nature of the food on which the fishes lived. 

Oysters, when fresh and in season, are very nutritious; when, 
however, they have a bluish appearance, they are liable to produce 
affections of the bowels. Salmon contains much nourishment, which 
is due to the oily matter which its flesh contains ; and for this reason 
this fish is less suited for invalids than the white kind. 

Most kinds of fish lose their flavor soon after being taken from 
the water. The cod and one or two others are exceptions to this 
general rule. Fish are fresh when the eye's are clear, the fins stiff, 
the gills red, and without bad odor. Fresh shad have gills of quite 
a crimson red, bright scales and a firm body; and shad are unfit to 
€at when the gills are a whitish blue and the eyes are sunken. In 
a good salmon, when cut, the flesh should appear quite red, solid 
and flaky. The Dutch and French bleed the cod, which accounts 
for the better quality and whiteness of their codfish. All large 
iish, in fact, should be bled as soon as caught. 

Almost every kind of fish is either boiled, broiled or fried. Any 
small fish of the size of a smelt, or smaller, is better fried than pre- 
pared in any other way. Fish like salmon trout are best when 
"baked and some fine sauce poured over them. A cup of diluted 
cream, in which is stirred two tablespoonfuls of melted butter and 
a, little chopped parsley, makes an excellent sauce for salmon trout. 

Bass weighing from one-half pound to a pound are best fried; 
those weighing from one to three pounds are best broiled, and 
larger sizes are best when boiled. Very large bass are dry eating. 

They should be thoroughly cleansed, washed, and sprinkled with 
salt. 

Before broiling fish, rub the gridiron with a piece of fat, to pre- 
vent its sticking. Lay the skin side down first. 

The earthy taste often found in fresh-water fish can be removed 
l)y soaking in salt and water. 



24.4: . FISH 

Most kinds of salt fish should be soaked in cold water for twenty^ 
four liours — the fleshy side turned down in the water. 

Baked Fish. 
Stuff it with plain dressing; put in a pan with a little water; salt,, 
pepper, and butter. Baste while baking. A fish weighing four 
pounds will cook in an hour. Garnish with hard-boiled eggs and 
parsley, and serve with drawn butter or egg sauce. 

To Boil Fish. 

Sew them in a cloth, and put in cold water, with plenty of salt. 
Most fish will boil in thiity minutes. 

Boiled Fish. 

For four or five pounds of fish, nearly cover with water, and add 
two heaping tablespoonfuls of salt. Boil thirty minutes and serve 
with draAvn butter. 

Baked Black Fish. 

Rxib a handful of salt over the surface, to remove the slime pecu- 
liar to the fish. For the stufiing, two oimces of beef drippings, two 
tablespoonfuls of chopped parsjey, and one ounce of salt pork; put 
in a saucepan and fry brown; then add a teaspoonful of chopped 
capers, half a saltspoonful of white pepper, one-half teaspoonful of 
salt, five ounces of bread, and one gill of broth; then stir until 
scalding hot; place inside the fish; cut a quarter of a pound of 
pork in thin slices and lay on either side of the fish, holding in 
place by twine around it — a generous sprinkle of salt and pepper 
completing it for the baking pan. Bake in a hot oven one-half 
hoixr, and serve on slices of fried bread with a sauce made of stock 
seasoned with one tablespoonf ul each of walnut and Worcestershire 
sauce, one tablespoonful of chopped capers, and one tablespoonful 
of parsley. 

Beook Trout. 

If small, fry them with salt pork; if large, boil, and serve with. 
dra-wTi butter. 



FISH. 245 * 

Flounders. 
These may be boiled or stewed; but we hold that they never do 
themselves so much credit as when making their appearance really 
^well fried. 

Halibut. 

Of all flat fish, a halibut is the largest, measuring sometimes 
about seven feet in length, and weighing from thi*ee hundred to 
four hundred pounds. In its proportions, the halibut is rather 
longer than other flat fish. The flesh has not much flavor, but is 
light and wholesome. To boil halibut plain, after scaling the skin 
on both sides, salt it for six hours, and (unless the piece is very 
large) plunge it in boiling water. The time of boiling, of course, 
will depend on the size. Serve, accompanied by white sauce made 
wdth milk instead of water, liberally dosed with butter and slightly 
seasoned with salt and a small pinch of scraped horse-radish. 
tShrimp or anchovy sauce goes well with it. Where there are the 
means and skill of frying well, halibut, cut into steaks of the proper 
thickness, and so prepared, is both sightly and palatable garnished 
with fried parsley. Some well-buttered sauce is desirable, to 
obviate its natural dr}Tiess. Slices from the middle of a halibut 
may be divided and trussed into convenient sized cutlets, by cutting 
them into equal halves directly through the vertebra. The same 
plan may be adopted with slices- from the thick part of other large 
fish (cod, over-sized pike, and salmon), which it is customary to 
-dress as steaks. We have never heard or read of halibut being in 
any way served whole. 

Pekch, Eels and Small Pike 

Are excellent fried. 

Potted Eels. 

After cleaning your eels and cutting off their heads, cut them 
into pieces about two inches long. Put them into a bi-own earthen 
pot, to which, if there is not an earthen cover, have a tin one. 
Season them with salt, pepper, allspice, and a few sprigs of parsley 



246 FISH. 

and thyme. Pour over the eels a little more vinegar and water 
than will cover them; put on the lid and set the pot into a slow 
oven. They should not be too much done. As soon as the flesh 
will come away from the bones they are done enough. Herrings 
may be potted in the same way. 

Collared Eels. 
These, though a little more trouble than potted eels, make a very- 
good and handsome dish. For this, the larger the eels the better; 
quite small eels can hardly be collared. Clean the eel, cut off the 
head, open it on the under side the whole of its length, wash it, 
take out the backbone, tearing the flesh as little as possible. Dry 
it by pressing it with a coarse cloth. You will then have a flat 
strip of eel flesh, broad at one end and narrow at the other. Season 
the inner surface of eel by dusting it with salt, pepper, and allspice. 
Then roll it tightly upon itself, as you would a ribbon, beginning 
at the broad end, until you have rolled it into a lump something 
like a short, thick sausage, blunt at both ends; tie it with broad 
tape (not with string, which would cut into the flesh when cooked) 
to keep it from imrolling, and then cook in an earthen pot with a 
lid exactly as you do potted eels. 

Sturgeon. 
There are few people so poor that they will consent to eat stur- 
geon, yet this fish, if properly cooked, affords, it is said, a luxurious 
meal. Get a few slices, moderately thick, put them in a pot or pan 
of water, and parboil them to get rid of the oil ; then roll in crumbs 
of cracker and egg, just as you would a veal cutlet, and fry. This 
makes a veal cutlet that beats the original by far, and you are sure 
that it is "full six weeks old," as the butcher always certifies in 
regard to the veal. 

Cods' Head. 

In some places, fishmongers take the heads off their codfish before 
they cut up the rest of the fish to retail it by the pound. In that 
case the heads are sold cheap; and when they can be thus had they 



FISH. 247 

are well worth the buying. We have enjoyed many a cheap fish 
treat with a dish of cods' heads, which contain several of the tit- 
bits prized by epicures, namely, the tongue, the cheek-pieces, and 
the nape of the neck. After taking out the eyes, wash the heads, 
drain them, and, if you can let them lie all night with a little salt 
sprinkled over them, they will be none the worse for it. Put 
them into a kettle of boiling water and boil from fifteen to twenty 
minutes, according to size. Dish them on a strainer, if you can, 
and help with a spoon. 

For sauce, drawn butter is good. 

For sharp sauce, take a few tablespoonfuls of the cods' heads 
boilings; put them in a saucepan with a lump of butter or dripping 
and a tablespoonful of vinegar; thicken with a little flour and keep 
stirring in one direction till they are all raised smooth and come to 
a boil. Both these sauces go well with any boiled fish. To these 
we will add a third which will be found equally simple and good. 

For brown sauce, put a good lump of butter or dripping into a 
saucepan. Set it on a brisk fire, shake it around now and then, and 
keep it there, until it is browned, not burnt. Take it off the fire- 
and stir into it a good tablespoonful of vinegar. When they are 
well mixed, pour into your sauce-boat an^ serve. The mixing of 
the vinegar with the hot fat had better be done out of doors, on: 
account of the quantity of vapor that arises when they are put 
together. 

Any meat remaining on the cods' heads after a meal should be 
separated from the skin and bone before it gets cold. This rule 
applies to all other fish. Arrange it neatly on a plate and dust a 
little pepper and drop a little vinegar over it. It will furnish a 
nice little delicacy when cold, or you may warm it up with mashed 
potatoes, adding any sauce that may be left; or, after putting on it 
the cold sauce left, or a little butter, you may cover with mashed 
potatoes and sprinkle over it bread crumbs; pour over it beaten 
egg and brown in the oven. 



248 FISH. 

Fkesh Codfish. 
Cut it in slices and fry or broil; if fried, roll it first in flour. 

Salt Codfish. 

Pick the fish up fine and let it soak for two hours, then rinse, and 
if fresh enough, cook in a little milk thickened with flour; add two 
tablespoonfuls of butter, and eggs to taste. The eggs may be 
beaten and stirred in, or dropped into boiling water, and then put 
into the codfish gravy whole, or laid on a platter and have the fish 
poured over them. It may also be boiled and served with a gravy 
made of melted butter and flour. 

Scalloped Codfish. 
One quart of pickled codfish, one pint of bread crumbs, or rolled 
crackers, one-half pint of cream, four ounces of butter, one tea- 
spoonful of pepper; wash and freshen the fish. When ready, put 
it into a baking dish with the crumbs in alternate layers, with a 
little butter and pepper; have the top layer of crumbs and cover 
with beaten egg, then pour the cream over all and bake half an 
hour. 

Codfish Balls. 

Pick the fish fine, and freshen. Boil potatoes and mash them; 
mix fish and potatoes together while potatoes are hot, taking two- 
thirds potatoes and one-third fish. Put in plenty of butter; make 
into balls, and fry in hot lard. 

Salt Mackerel. 
I'Soak for a day or two, after taking out of the brine, in cold 
-water, or buttermilk; lay in a pan with the flesh side down, and 
change the water occasionally. Just before cooking, lay it into a 
.shallow dish and cover with hot milk, which removes the strong 
itaste. Take it out of the milk and wipe dry with a napkin. Then 
lay on a gridiron and broil the same as fresh fish and serve with 
,sauce with lemon juice. 



FISH. 249 

Baked Cod. 

AVhen purchasing a four-pound cod ask your fishdealer to send 
you three or four codfish heads. Rub a little salt on the fish, chop 
the heads into six pieces each, and sprinkle a little salt over them. 
Place them in the center of the baking-pan (to be used as supports 
for the fish), with two ounces of butter, one carrot, a turnip, a 
potato, and one onion cut into slices, two blades of mace, a tea- 
spoonful of white pepper, one tablespoonful of celery seed, six 
cloves, and a cup of red wine. Set the pan in the oven while you 
prepare the cod. Soak in cold water until soft a sufficiency of 
bread to fill the fish; drain off the water and pound the bread to a 
paste; mix with it two tablespoonfuls of melted butter, two raw 
eggs, a tablespoonful of Worcestershire sauce, with salt and pepper 
to taste. Put this stuffing inside the fish and sew it up; place the 
cod in the pan with two or three pieces of butter on the top, and 
baste it frequently; when it is cooked lay the fish on a hot platter, 
and garnish with fried oysters if convenient. Add two tablespoon- 
fuls of prepared flour to the pan, a wineglass of sherry; mix and 
strain the gravy into a sauce-boat. 

Boiled Pike. 

If the fish is sent home split through the underside sew it up. 
Then run a thread through the fish so as to draw it into the shape 
of a letter S. Tie it fast, and then tie it up in a cloth. Not having 
any fish kettle, lower it into the pot of boiling water if it is 
small or a small piece, if a large fish put it into cold water. If a 
large fish is put into hot water the outside cooks first, but in cold 
water it cooks evenly through. While boiling add a tablespoonful 
of salt, a slice of lemon or a half cup of vinegar and a few cloves. 
When done lift the fish from the pot upon a platter, untie the cloth, 
and by gently scraping the skin down the sides, from the top of the 
back, you can take the whole fish from the shell and place upon a 
'dish for the table. 



250 FISH. 

TURBOT. 

Take a fine large whitefish, steam until tender; take out the bones 
and sprinkle with pepper and salt. For the dressing heat one quart 
of milk and thicken with a half or two-thirds of a cup of flour. 
When cool add two eggs and a quarter of a pound of butter; put 
in the baking-dish a layer of fish, then a layer of sauce, until full. 
Season with garlic, parsley and thyme. Cover the top with bread 
crumbs and bake three-fourths of an hour. 

To Fry White Fish. 
One of the best ways to fry white fish, or any other fish, is to 
first fry some slices of salt pork, then roll the pieces of fish in fine 
Indian meal, and fry in the pork gravy. About three slices of pork 
for a medium-sized fish. White fish needs less fat than almost any 
other. Fish needs to be cooked a long time and very slowly to 
make it flaky and white. 

SALMOIir. 

A delicious way to cook salmon is to boil it and serve with a 
gravy made of butter, flour, pepper, salt, and plenty of oysters. 
Cook the oysters in a very little water, then stir into the sauce. 
You may prepare canned salmon in this way. 



CHAPTER XX. 



SHELL FISH. 

Clams. 
10 judge whether clams and oysters are fresh insert a knife, and 
if the shell instantly closes firmly on the knife the oysters 
are fresh. If it «huts slowly and faintly or not at all they 
are dying or dead. When the shells of raw oysters are found 
gaping open they are not good. 

Cla.m Bake. 

Lay the clams on a rock, edge downward, forming a circle; cover 
them with fine brush, cover the brush with dry sage, cover the 
sage with larger brush; set the whole on fire, and when the brush 
and sage are a little more than half burnt look at the clams by 
pulling some out, and if done enough brush the fire, cinders, etc., 
off; mix some tomato or cauliflower sauce or catsup with the clams 
after being taken out of their shells; add butter and spices to taste 
and serve. . 

Clam Chowder. 

Put in a pot some small slices of fat salt pork, enough to line 
the bottom of it; on that a layer of potatoes cut in small pieces; 
on the potatoes a layer of chopped onions; on the onions a layer of 
tomatoes in slices, or canned tomatoes ; on thesfe a layer of clams, 
whole or chopped (they are generally chopped), then a layer of 
crackers. Season with salt and pepper, and other spices if desired. 
Then repeat this process, layer after layer, in above order, seasoning 
each, until the pot is full. When the whole is in, cover with water, 

251 



252 SHELL FISH. 

set on a slow fire, and when nearly done stir gently, finish, cooking 
and serve. 

When done, if found too thin, boil a little longer; if found too 
thick, add a little water, give one boil and serve. Fish Chowder 
is made exactly like clam chowder, except that fish are used instead 
of clams. 

Clam Fritters. 

Twelve clams, minced fine, one pint of milk, three eggs; add- the 
liquor from the clams to the milk; beat up the eggs and add to this, 
with salt and pepper and flour enough for a thin batter; lastly add 
the chopped clams. Fry in hot lard, trying a little first to see if 
fat and batter are right. A tablespoonful makes a fritter of 
moderate size. Fry quickly and serve hot* 

Fried Clams. 
Take large soft-shell clams, dry them in a napkin, and dip them 
first in beaten egg and then powdered cracker or bread crumbs, and 
fry in sweet lard or butter or both miied. 

Clam Pie. 

Take a quantity of clams, if large chop them, put in a saucepan 
and cook in their own liquor, or, if necessary, add a little water; 
toil three or four medium-sized potatoes until done, then cut in 
slices; line a pudding-dish half way up its sides; turn a small teacup 
Ibottom up in the middle of the dish to keep up the top crust, put 
in first a layer of clams and then a few potatoes, season with bits 
of butter and a little salt and pepper and dredge with flour; add 
another layer of clams, and so on till the dish is filled; add the 
liquor in which the clams were cooked and a little water if neces- 
sary. There should be as much liquid as for chicken or other meat 
pie. Cover with top crust, cut places for steam to escape and bake 
three-fourths of an hour. 

Clam Stew. 

Put the clams in a stewpan with about the same quantity of 
water as the juice of the clams. Boil twenty-five or thirty minutes; 



SHELL FISH. 25a 

remove all the scum that rises, and season with butter, salt and 
pepper. 

Clam Soup. 
Take the required number of clams, chop them fine, then cook in 
a little water with butter, pepper and salt; when almost done put 
in milk or cream, and in soup enough for four persons put one cup 
of rolled crackers. Serve hot. 

Crabs. 

To fit them for the table, living crabs require to be boiled in salt 
water; they are either placed in cold water which is then made 
hot or put at once into boiling water; crabs cooked by the latter 
method are found to have the finest flavor. The male crab is the 
most valuable for the table, and may be distinguished by possessing^ 
larger claws. In purchasing crabs in the living state preference 
should be given to those which have a rough shell and claws. 
When selecting a crab which has been cooked it should be held by 
its claws and well shaken from side to side. If it is found to rattle, 
or feels as if it contained water, it is a proof that the crab is of 
inferior quality. The crab may be kept alive, out of water, two or 
three days. 

Soft Crabs. 

Many will not eat hard-shell crabs, considering them indigestible, 
and not suflSciently palatable to compensate for the risk they run in 
eating them. And it must be owned that they are, at their best, 
but an indifferent substitute for the more aristocratic lobster. But 
in the morning of life, for him so often renewed, his crabship is a 
different creature, and greatly affected by epicures. 

Do not keep the crabs over night, as the shells harden in twenty- 
four hours. Pull off the spongy substance from the sides, and the 
sand-bags. These are the only portions uneatable. Wash well and 
wipe dry. Have ready a pan of seething hot lard or butter and fry 
them to a fine broTVTi. Put a little salt into the lard; the butter 
will need none. Send up hot, garnished with parsley. 



254 SHELL FISH. 

Scalloped Crab. 
Pick out all the meat of the crab and mix thoroughly; add to it 
one-third its quantity of bread crumbs, a good lump of butter, 
divided into little bits; season with salt and pepper, a dust of 
grated nutmeg and a dessertspoonful of vinegar or lemon juice 
sprinkled over the mass. Mix all equally together. Clean out the 
bottom shell of your crab, and fill it with the mixture; what is left 
you may put into scallop-shells or tins. Set them into a moderately 
hot oven. When hot through and slightly browned on the surface 
they are fit to serve on a dish covered with a napkin, the crab-shell 
in the middle and the scallop-shells around it, garnished with sprigs 
of parsley. 

Frogs. 

Scald the hind quarters in boiling water, rub them with lemon 
juice and boil for three minutes, wipe them, dip them first in 
cracker dust, then in a mixture of two beaten eggs in half a cup of 
milk seasoned with pepper and salt, then again in cracker crumbs. 
When they are well covered with crumbs fry in a mixture of hot 
lard and butter. 

Lobster Croquettes. 

Chop the lobster very fine; mix with pepper, salt, bread crumbs 
and a little parsley; moisten with cream and a small jjiece of butter; 
shape with your hands; dip in egg, roll in bread crumbs and fry. 

Lobster Cutlets. 

Mince the flesh of lobsters fine; season with salt, pepper and 
spice; melt a piece of butter in a saucepan; mix with it one table- 
spoonful of flour; add lobster and finely-chopped parsley; mix with 
some good stock; remove from the fire, and stir into it the yolks of 
two eggs; spread out the mixture, and, when cold, cut into cutlets, 
dip carefully into beaten egg, then into fine baked bread crumbs; 
let them stand an hour, and repeat, and irj a rich brown. Serve 
with fried parsley. 



SHELL FISH. 255 

Fried Lobster. 
If, when making a salad, you liave more lobster than you wish to 
use for that, keep it in a cool place and fry in butter and bread 
crumbs for breakfast. 

Lobster Patties. 

Make some puff-paste and spi'ead it on very deep patty pans. 

Bake it empty. Having boiled well two or three fine lobsters, 

extract all the meat and mince it very small, mixing it with the 

coral smoothly mashed, and some yolk of hard-boiled egg, grated. 

Season it with a little salt, some Cayenne, and some powdered mace 

or nutmeg, adding a little yellow lemon rind, grated. Moisten the 

mixture well with cream, fresh butter, or salad oil. Put it into a 

stewpan, add a very little water, and let it steam till it just comes to 

a boil. Take it off the fire, and the patties being baked, remove them 

from the tin pans, place them on a large dish, and fill them up to 

the top with the mixture. Similar patties may be made of prawns 

or crabs. 

Lobster Rissoles. 

Extract the meat of a boiled lobster; mince it as fine as possible; 
mix it with the coral pounded smooth, and some yolks of hard- 
boiled eggs, pounded also. Season it with Cayenne pepj^er, pow- 
dered mace, and a very little salt. Make a batter of beaten egg, 
milk and flour. To each egg allow two large tablespoonfuls of 
milk, and a large teaspoonful of flour. Beat the batter well, and 
then mix the lobster with it gradually, till it is stiff enough to make 
into oval balls about the size of a large plum. Fry them in the 
best salad oil, and serve them up either warm or cold. Similar 
rissoles may be made of raw oysters minced fine, or of boiled clams. 

These should be fried in lard. 

« 

Lobster Salad. 
Pick the meat from the shell, cut into nice square pieces, cut up 
some lettuce and mix. Make a dressing of four tablespoonfuls of 
oil, two of vinegar, one of mustard, the yolks of two eggs and pep- 



256 SHELL FISH. 

per and salt to taste; rub smooth together, forming a creamy look- 
ing sauce, and cover the lobster with it. Garnish with sliced 
cucumber pickles, egg-rings, parsley and cold beet cut in fancy 
shapes. 

Broiled Lobster. 

Cut the tail part of a lobster in two, rub a little sweet oil over 
the meat and broil. When done, brush a little butter over it with 
the juice of half a lemon and a very little Cayenne. Place the meat 
back into the shell and send to the table with a dish of broiled 
tomatoes and a fresh baked potato. 

Lobsters en Brochette. 

Cut up the tail of a lobster in square pieces; take a few thin 
slices of bacon and cut into lengths to match the lobster; place 
them on a skewer alternately and broil; baste as in broiled lobster 
and send to the table on a bed of water-cresses. 

Roasted Lobsters. 

When lobsters are half cooked, remove from the water and rub 

thoroughly with butter; lay before the fire; continue basting with 

butter until it has a fine froth and the shell becomes a dark brown. 

Place on a dish and serve with plain melted butter in a sauce-boat. 

Gratin of Lobster. 

Take out all the meat from a large lobster, then wash the body, 
tail, and shells, if the lobster is first cut in halves down the back, 
then dry and butter them and sprinkle with bread crumbs; chop 
the meat fine, with a little parsley and shallot, a few drops of 
essence of anchovies, a spoonful of vinegar, Cayenne pepper and salt,, 
a little bechamel sauce, and boil all well together, add a yolk of 
egg, put it to cool, then fill your shells or paper cases, cover with 
bread crumbs and some pieces of butter; brown them in the oven,^ 
and dish on a napkin. 

Broiled Oysters. 

Drain select oysters in a colander; dip them one by one into 



SHELL FISH. 257 

melted butter, to prevent sticking to the gridiron, and place them 
on a wire gridiron. Broil over a clear fire. When nicely browned 
on both sides, season with salt, pepper, and plenty of butter, and 
lay them on hot buttered toast, moistened with sf little hot water. 
Serve very hot, or they will not be nice. Oysters cooked in this 
way and served on broiled beefsteak are nice. 

Oyster Chowder. 

Fry out three rashers of pickled pork in the pot you make the 
chowder; add to it three potatoes and two onions, both sliced; boil 
until they are nearly cooked; soak two or tlu'ee dozen crackers in 
cold water a few minutes, then put into the pot half a can of oys- 
tei-s, one quart of milk and the soaked crackers. Boil all together 
a few minutes; season with salt, pepper and butter. Fish chowder 
can be made the same way by using fresh fish instead of oysters. 

Oyster Croquettes, 
Take the hard end of the oyster, leaving the other end in nice 
shape for a soup or stew; scald them, then chop fine and add an 
equal weight of potatoes rubbed through a colander; to one pound 
of this add two ounces of butter, one teaspoonful of salt, half a 
teaspoonful of pepper, half a teaspoonful of mace, and one-half gill 
of cream; make in small rolls, dip in egg and grated bread, fry in 
deep lard. 

Fricasseed Oysters, 
Drain the liquor from a qu^rt of oysters, strain half a pint and 
put in a porcelain kettle, and when it boils put in the oysters. 
Have a tablespoonful of flour rubbed well into two tablespoonfuls 
of butter. When the oysters begin to swell, stir in the butter and 
flour, cook until the oysters are white and plump; then add a gill 
of cream and pepper and sal^. 

Fried Oysters. 
Take large oysters, wash and drain. Dip them into flour; put in 
a hot frying pan with plenty of lard and butter; season with salt 



Vi 



2o6 SHELL FISH. 

and pepper; fry brown on both sides. Fried in this way, tliey are 
similar to broiled oysters. 

Fried Oysters, No, 2. 

Drain, remove all bits of shell, and sprinkle with pepper and salt, 
and set in a cool place for ten minutes. Then, if the oysters are 
small, pour them into a pan of crackers, rolled fine; add liquor, mix 
well and let stand five minutes; add a little salt and pepper, mold 
into small cakes, with two or three oysters in each, roll in dry 
<;rackers and fry in lard and butter. Serve hot in a covered dish. 

Chicken and Oyster Pie. 

Parboil a chicken; cut up and place in a pic dish; cover with 
•oysters and season to taste; add two hard-boiled eggs cut into 
slices, with a piece of butter, size of an egg, in the center; dust the 
whole with flour, and pour on one-half pint of milk; put on a puff- 
23aste crust and bake about three-quarters of an hour in a moderate 
oven. 

Scalloped Oysters. 

Prepare stale bread-crumbs, season to taste with pepper and salt; 
butter a deep dish; cover the bottom with the crumbs; add a layer 
of large-tized oysters, with butter; fill the dish alternately with 
oysters, crumbs and butter. Bake in a hot oven until cooked 
entirely thi'ough; if they become too brown on the top, cover with 
paper. If preferred, scallop the oysters separately and serve in the 
shells, observing that the shells are well cleaned. Instead of crumbs 
use slices of well-buttered bread, if you like, or bake with a crust 
of puff-paste. 

Park Row Oyster Stew. 

Put the oysters into a stewpan with a little liquor to cover them; 
add a little butter, pepper and salt; stir every now and then while 
on the fire, and when poured into the dish, put in about a table- 
spoonful of milk to every ten oysters. 

Oyster soup is made iu the same way, except that more liquor is 



SHELL FISH. 259 

added, and a tablespoonful of pounded butter 'crackers; add plenty 
of milk the last thing when the oysters are cooked, and let it boil 
up once. 

Maryland Stewed Oysters. 

Put the juice into a saucepan and let it simmer, skimming it care- 
fully; then mxb the yolks of three hard-boiled eggs and one large 
spoonful of flour well together, and stir into the juice. Cut in 
small pieces a quarter of a pound of butter, half a teaspoonf ul of 
whole allspice, a little salt, a little Cayenne, and the juice of a fresh 
lemon; let all simmer ten minutes^ and just before dishing, add the 
oysters. This is for two quarts of oysters. 

Plain Stew. 

One quart of oysters with liquor, pint and a half of milk, piece 
of butter size of egg, pepper and salt; boil all together until done. 

Oyster Sauce. 

Set the oysters in their liquor over the fire for a few minutes; 
then remove them from the liquor and stir into it some flour and 
butter well rubbed together, add salt and pepper, and when it 
lias boiled well for five minutes put in the oysters and serve 
immediately. 

Oyster Pie. 

Make a rich puff paste; roll out twice as thick as for a fruit pie, 
for the top crust — about the ordinary thickness for the lower. Line 
a pudding dish with the thinner, and fill with crusts of dry bread 
or light crackers. Some use a folded towel to fill the interior of the 
pie, but the above expedient is preferabJe. Butter the edges of 
the dish, that you may be able to lift the upper crust without 
breaking. Cover the mock pie with the thick crust, ornamented 
heavily at the edge, that it may lie the more quietly, and bake. 
Cook the oysters as for a stew, only beating into them at the last, 
two eggs, and thickening with a spoonful of fine cracker crumbs or 
rice flour. They should stew but five minutes, and time them so 



260 SHELL FISH. 

that the paste will be baked just in season to receive them. Lift 
the top crust, pour in the smoking hot oysters, and send up hot. 

Many consider it unnecessary to prepare the oysters and crust 
separately; but experience and observation go to prove that if the 
precaution be omitted, the oysters are apt to be wofully overdone.. 
The rnaker can try both methods and take her choice. 

Pickled Oysters. 
One ounce each of allspice, mace, cinnamon and cloves, one quart, 
vinegar; scald all together, then put in the oysters, waiting until it- 
is cool; next day scald all together. 

Oyster Patties. 
Line small patty-pans with puff paste; into each pan put six. 
oysters, bits of butter, pepper and salt; sprinkle over a little flour 
and hard-boiled eggs, chopped (allowing about two eggs for six 
patties), cover with an upper crust, notch the edges and bake; serve 
either in the pans or remove them to a larger platter. 

Oyster Pot-Pie. v. 

Have ready nice light-raised biscuit dough, cut into small squares. 
Season the oysters well with butter, pepper and salt, and thicken 
them with a little flour; drop in the pieces of dough and boil till 
done. This may be baked in the oven in a pudding-dish, allowing 
the dough to brown on the top. 

"Roasted Oysters. 
Take oysters in the shell, wash the shells clean, and lay them on 
hot coals; when they are done they will begin to open. Remove 
the upper shell, and serve the oysters in the lower shell, with a little 
melted butter poured over, each. 

Oysters, Fancy Roast. 
Toast a few slices of bread, and butter them; lay them in a 
shallow dish; put on the liquor of the oysters to heat; add salt and 
pepper, and just before it boils add the oysters; let them boil up 
once, and pour over the bread. 



SHELL FISH. 261 

Oyster a la Poulette. 

Scald a dozen oysters in their own liquor; salt and remove the 
oysters; add a tablespoonful of butter, the juice of half a lemon, a 
gill of cream, and a teaspoonful of flour. Beat up the yolk of one 
egg while the sauce is simmering; add the egg and simmer the 
whole until it thickens. Place the oysters on a hot dish, pour the 
sauce over them, sprinkle a little chopped parsley on the top and 
serve. 

Raw Oysters. 

For a party, serve on a handsome block of ice in which a cavity 
has been made with a hot flat-iron. Set the ice on a platter and 
garnish the edges with slices of lemon. Have pepper, salt and 
vinegar on hand; also serve with lemon juice. 

Oysters with Toast. 
Broil or fry as many oysters as you wish, and lay them on but- 
tered toast; salt and pepper; pour over them a cup of hot, rich, 
cream; keep them perfectly hot until eaten. 

Oyster Flavor. 
A German cook has discovered a way to have oyster flavor all the 
year round. Take fresh, large, plump oysters, beard them and 
place them in a vessel over the fire for a few moments in order to 
extract the juice, then put them to cool, and chop them very fine 
with powdered biscuit, mace, and finely minced lemon peel; pound 
them until they become a paste ; make them up into thin cakes, 
place them on a sheet of paper in a slow oven and let them bake 
until they become quite hard; pound them directly into powder, 
and place the powder in a dry tin box, well covered; keep in a dry 
place, and it will be very much appreciated when the true oyster 
flavor is imparted to fish, sauces and dishes. This makes a delicious 
sauce for fresh cod. 

New Way of Preparing Oysters. 
The ways of preparing oysters are not many. This method. 



262 SHELL FISH, 

however, is not widely known: Take two dozen oysters and throw 
them in a large deep dish; then take a small bunch of parsley 
chopped fine, a little lemon rind grated, half a nutmeg grated, and 
the crumbs of a stale French roll, also grated; let the latter be well 
incorporated, adding some Cayenne. Have in readiness the yolks 
of three fresh eggs beaten up into a foam; dip each oyster sepa- 
rately into the eggs and roll them into the bread crumbs until they 
are all covered with a good coat. Put a quarter of a pound of 
butter in the oven till it is melted while arranging the oysters in. 
the pan, then turn them continually until they assume a perfect 
brown and crusty appearance. When fully cooked serve them with 
some celery, salt and thin slices of Graham bread and butter. 

Scallops. 
The heart is the only part used. If you buy them in the shell, 
boil and take out the hearts. Those sold in our markets are gen- 
erally ready for frying or stewing. Dip them in beaten egg, then 
in cracker crumbs, and fry in hot lard. Or, you may stew them.' 
like oysters. The fried scallops are generally preferred. 

Terrapins, or Water Turtles. 
Land terrapins, it is hardly necessary to say, are uneatable, but 
the large turtle that frequents our mill-ponds and rivers can be 
converted into a relishable article of food. Plunge the turtle into 
a pot of boiling water, and let him lie there five minutes. You can 
then skin the under part easily, and pull off the horny parts of the 
feet. Lay him for ten minutes in cold salt and water; then put 
into more hot water salted, but not too much. Boil until tender. 
The time will depend upon the size and age. Take him out, drain 
and wipe dry; loosen the shell carefully, not to break the flesh; cut 
open also with care, lest you touch the gall-bag with the knife. 
Remove this with the entrails and sand-bag. Cut up all the rest of 
the Animal into small bits; season with pepper, salt, a chopped 
onion, sweet herbs, and a teaspoonful of some spiced sauce, or a 
tablespoonful of catsup — walnut or mushroom. Save the juice that 



SHELL FISH. 263 

runs from the meat, and put all together into a saucepan with a 
closely-fitting top. Stew gently fifteen minutes, stirring occasion- 
ally, and add a great spoonful of butter, or a teaspoonful browned 
flour wet in cold water, a glass of brown sherry, and lastly, the 
beaten yolk of an egg, mixed'with a little of the hot liquor, that it 
may not curdle. Boil up once and turn into a covered dish. Send 
around green pickles and delicate slices of toast with it. 



CHAPTER- XXI. 

GAME. 

To Select Game. 
|HEASANTS. — A young cock pheasant will have short and 
blunt spurs, while an old one will have them long and sharp. 
A hen pheasant may be known by its plumage, and its flavor 
is preferred by many, though not by all, except when almost ready 
to lay. 

Grouse. — These are judged of the same as pheasants. 

'Woodcock. — When these are fat they will feel thick and firm, 
and a streak of fat will appear on the side of the breast. Fresh 
birds will have supple feet, and the head and throat clear; whereas, 
when stale, the feet are stiff, and the head and throat nasty. 

Pigeons. — Tame pigeons, when fresh and in good order, are 
plump, and have their feet pliable and of a dusky white. Wild 
pigeons are not reckoned so good as tame, but they improve with 
keeping. They are not so fat but are to be chosen by the same 
rules as the others. 

JIares. — An old hare does very well for soup, but for ordinary 
purposes it is by no means desirable. It will be distinguished by 
its dry, tough ears, its blunted claws and its widely-parted lips. A 
young hare has soft and tender ears, sharpish claws, and the parting 
of the lip close. 

Rabh'it. — An old rabbit will have long, rough claws, and fur 
often inclining to grey. When fresh, the body will be rather stiff 
and the flesh dry and pale; but if stale, it will be limper and the 
flesh dark colored. 

1364 



GAME. 265 

Ve7iison. — Choose the dark-colored meat, not the black, but the 
rich reddisli-brown, with .fine grain, and well coated with fat. 
Keep it hung up in a cool, dark cellar, covered with a cloth, and 
use as soon as you can conveniently. 

To Pot Birds. 

Prepare them as for roasting; fill each with a dressing made as 
follows: Allow for each bird the size of a pigeon one-half of a 
hard-boiled egg, chopped fine, a tablespoonful of bread crumbs, a 
teaspoonful of chopped pork; season the birds with pepper and 
salt; stuff them and lay them in a kettle that has a tight cover. 
Place over the birds a few slices of pork, add a pint of water, 
dredge over them a little flour, cover, and put them in a hot oven. 
Let them cook until tender, then add a little cream and butter. If 
the sauce is too thin, thicken with flour. One pint of water is suf- 
ficient for twelve birds. 

Reed Birds. 

" These delicious lumps of sweetness, as they are appropriately 
called, are always acceptable, but to thoroughly appreciate a reed 
bird dinner one must mingle with the gunners on the Delaware 
river as guest or member of one of the many clubs whose houses 
are situated within a few hundred yards of the hunting grounds. 
After the judge's decision as to who has high boat, the birds are 
plucked (and at some of the club houses drawn), arranged neatly in 
a dripping-pan with bits of fresh country butter between them. 
They are allowed to cook on one side a few minutes, and with a 
long-handled spoon are turned over to brown on the other side. A 
little salt is added and they are then placed on a hot platter en 
pyramide and the gravy poured over them; they are then sent to 
the table with fried chipped potatoes." 

Reed Birds a la Lindenthorpe. 
On " ladies' day " the members of this club are more particular 
than on " member's day." They prepare the birds by drawing the 
trail and removing the head; they then take large sweet or Irish 



266 ^ GAME. 

potatoes, cut them in two, scoop out the insides, and put an oyster 
or small piece of bacon inside of each bird and put the birds inside 
the potatoes, tie them up with twine and bake until the potatoes are 
done. The common twine is then removed and the potatoes are 
tied with a narrow piece of white or colored tape in a neat bow- 
knot and sent to the table on a napkin. 

Roast Prairie Chicken. 

The bird being a little strong, and its flesh, when cooked, a little 
dry, it should be either larded or wide strips of bacon or pork 
placed over its breast. A mild-seasoned stuffing will improve the 
flavor of old birds. Dust a little flower over them, baste occasion- 
ally and serve. 

Pheasants may be managed in the same way. 

Prairie Chickek. 

Clean nicely, using a little soda in the water in which they are 
washed; rinse them and drain, and fill with dressing, sewing them 
up nicely, and binding down the legs and wings with cord. Put 
them in a steamer and let them cook ten minutes; then put them in 
a pan with a little butter, set them in an oven and baste frequently 
until of a nice brown. They should brown in about thirty-five 
minutes. Serve them in a platter with sprigs of parsley alternated 
with currant jelly. 

Partridges and quails may be cooked in the same manner. 

To Roast Parteidges, Pheasants or Quails. 
Pluck, singe, draw and truss them, season with salt and pepper; 
roast for about half an hour in a brisk oven, basting often with 
butter. When done, place on a dish together with bread crumbs 
fried brown and arranged in small heaps. Gravy should be served 
in a tureen apart. 

Quail on Toast. 
Pick and clean, cut in the middle of back, fry in butter to a nice 
brown, salt and pepper; now put in an earthern or porcelain-lined 



GAME. 267 

dish, one tablespoonful of nice butter and the same of flour; stir on 
a slow fire until butter is dissolved; then pour in slowly two-thirds 
glass of water and the same quantity of wine; salt and pepper; put 
in your birds that are nicely fried, simmer slowly one-quarter of an 
hour; toast some thin slices of bread (one toast to each bird); put 
in the dish you wish to serve, laying the birds on top; pour the 
gravy over all; serve very hot. 

To Broil Quail or Woodcock. 
After dresssing, split down the back, sprinkle with salt and pep- 
per, and lay them on a gridiron, the inside down. Broil slowly at 
first. Serve with cream gravy. 

Pigeon Pie. 

Dress and wash clean, split down the back, and then proceed as 
for chicken pie. 

Roast Pigeons. 

When cleaned and ready for roasting, fill the bird with a stuffing 
of bread crumbs, a spoonful of butter, a little salt and nutmeg, and 
three oysters to each bird (some prefer chopped apple). They must 
be well basted with melted butter, and require thirty minutes of 
careful cooking. They are best in the autumn, and should be full 
grown. 

To Roast Pigeons. 

They should be dressed while fresh. If young, they will be 
ready for roasting in twelve hours. Dress carefully, and after 
making clean, wipe dry and put into each bird a small piece of 
butter dipped in Cayenne. Truss the wings over the back and roast 
in a quick oven, keeping them constantly basted with butter. 
Serve with brown gravy. Dish them with young water-cresses. 

Pigeon Compote. 
Truss six pigeons as for boiling. Grate the crumbs of a small 
loaf of bread, scrape one pound of fat bacon, chop thyme, parsley, 
an onion and lemon — peel fine — and season with salt and pepper; 



268 GAME. 

mix it lip with two eggs; put this forcemeat into the craws of the 
pigeons, lard the breasts and fry brown; place them in a stewpan 
with some beef stock and stew them three-quarters of an hour, 
thicken with a piece of butter rolled in flour. Serve with force- 
meat balls around the dish and strain the gravy on to the pigeon. 

Wild Duck or Mallard. 
, This is one of the best of wild fowl. Truss it as you would a tame 
duck, but it is not usual to stuff it. As soon as you have plucked 
and emptied it, boil down the giblets with a little bit of beef, to 
make savory brown gravy, flavored with lemon juice and wine. 
Wild duck is better served a little more under-done than tame 
duck. Some carvers slice the breast, and dose it with Cayenne, 
lemon juice and its own roast gravy — a mode of dressing admissible 
only when everybody likes high seasoning. The bones of the wild 
duck are smaller than those of the tame. The teal, the jewel of 
water fowl, if fat, should be laid each on its slice of toast, roasted 
before the fire; turn it over now and then, and serve on the toast. 
The coot, on account of its black and very downy skin, is best 
flayed, cut into joints, and stewed with wine as a matelote. It 
then becomes excellent eating. 

Wild Goose, 

When to be had, is a treat for lovers of wild fowl; and yet, 
strange to say, there is a prejudice against it, as fishy. Some few 
species of geese may indeed graze on seaweed, and perhaps even 
swallow a few shell-fish when they happen to alight on the shore, 
hard pressed by hunger; but, as a rule, there is no cleaner feeding 
bird than the goose, feeding upon herbs or grain, but preferring the 
former as the staple of its diet. We know of no wild goose which 
is not excellent to eat, when obtained at the proper age and in good 
condition. 

Wild geese are roasted and served in the same way as wild ducks. 

A satisfactory combination is made by taking a little bone, some 
■cartilage or tendon for the sake of its gelatine, sufficient fat — to be 



GAME. 269 

supplied, if the meat has none, from white bacon or fresh pork — 
and plenty of the flesh of whatever constitutes the pate. Pack 
these closely together, filling the interstices with minced fresh pork 
or veal, season well, but not in excess; flavor A^^ith bay-leaf, chopped 
shallot or onion, and lemon peel; with bits of truffle (when possible), 
hard egg, and button mushrooms intei'spersed here and there 
through it» substance, and half a tumbler of wine, with a little 
catsup poured in to prevent too much drying up. Bake this in a 
gentle oven, and let it stand at least twenty-four houi's before 
cutting it up. It will keep some time, especially if untouched, and 
will be found improved and ripened at the end of three or four days. 

Roast Haee. 
Broil the hare slightly over the coals, to give firmness to the 
flesh, then cover it with slices of fat pork from the neck to the legs. 
Then roast it for an houi*, and serve it with sanoe piquante Tpre^paved. 
with the crushed liver. 

A Nice Wat to Prepare Cold Hare. 
Remove the flesh from the roast hare, and cut it in strips. After- 
ward break the bones and cook with them some butter and flour, 
onions, parsley, thyme, chives, salt, pepper, red wine, and stock 
broth; boil them down to one-fourth, and having strained the gravy, 
put the slices of hare into it and serve it up without again boiling it. 

Roast Rabbit. 
Rabbits are roasted in the same manner as directed for hare. 

Rabbit with Herbs. 
Cut a rabbit in pieces and place it in a stewpan with butter, 
parsley, chives, mushrooms, bay-leaves, and thyme, chopped fine. 
When done add a spoonful of flour to thicken it. 

Venison Chops. 
Broiled and served with currant jelly are not to be despised. 
Trim the ends as you would a French lamb chop. 



270 GAME. 

Venison Epicurean. 

Cut a steak from the leg or a chop from the loin of venison about 
an inch and a half thick. Put a walnut of butter, salt, and pepper, 
into a chafing-dish; light the spirit-lamp under it, and when the 
butter melts put in the chop or steak; let it cook on one side a few 
minutes, then turn it over, and add a wineglassf ul of sherry or port 
and a tablespoonful of currant jelly. Simmer gently about seven 
minutes if it is to be eaten rare, and allow twelve minutes' cooking 
if required well done. 

Venison Patties. 

Make a nicely-flavored mince of the remains of cold roast venison; 
moisten it with a little sherry or gravy, and warm it in a saucepan; 
fill the patty-shells with the meat and serve, as oyster patties. 



CHAPTER XXII. 

MARKETING. 

4|JEF0RE going to market it is a very good rule to determine 
>y|l' what shall be purchased and in what quantity. This is 
^Ci^ especially needful when the butcher is to be visited. An- 
other rule is to deal at shops where good articles only are sold, and, 
if possible, to take your money with you, because a ready-money 
customer will, as a rule, be the best served. It is not always safe 
to let the butcher, poultei*er, fishmonger, or other provision dealer, 
choose for you, because he may be over anxious to s-ell what is not 
in the best condition, or what is from some other cause hardly 
salable. Experienced persons will not fail to observe careful}y 
the quality of what they buy, and they will reflect upon the quan- 
tity of bone, gristle or other waste in it. They will also consider 
the requirements of the family and the uses to which they can put 
what is not consumed as soon as cooked. At the butcher's see the 
meat cut and weighed and placed ready to be sent home; you will 
then know what you have bought. Always buy good meat rather 
than inferior, and if possible from the best parts of the animal. To 
aid the inexperienced we will now enter somewhat into detail. 

JSeef. — Young and well-fed ox beef is the best. It may be known 
by the lean being of a fine, smooth or open grain, and the fat of a 
yellowish white. "When the fat is either a mottled yellow or white, 
the meat is doubtful. The suet, however, must be very white. 
Cow beef is inferior, its fat is whiter, the lean closer in the grain 
and not of so bright a red. Bull beef has white and shining fat, 

271 



272 



MARKETING. 



close-grained lean of a dark red, and a stronger smell than other 
beef. 

The principal parts are as follows: 




1. Cheek. 

2. Neck or Sticking Piece. 

3. Clod. 

4. Shin. 

5. Shoulder or Leg of Mutton Piece 

6. Chuck Ribs. 

7. Middle Ribs. 

8. Fore Ribs. 

9. Brisket. 



SECTION OP BULLOCK. 

10. Surloin. 



11. Thin Flank. 

12. Rump. 

13. Aitch-bone. 

14. Round or Buttock. 

15. Mouse Bullock. 

16. Veiny Piece. 

17. Thick Flank. 

18. Leg. 

Besides the above there are the kidneys, heart, tripe, sweet- 
breads, tongue, and palate. 

Good beef is more elastic to the touch than that which is old 
or in bad condition, so that when pressed with the finger the 
impression will not be permanent. In poor meat, the lean is usually 
dark, the fat skinny, and the sinewy portions distinctly shown, 
especially a horny texture in the ribs. Beef should be perfectly 
sound, sweet and fresh, as taint rapidly spreads, and if frosted it 
will not cook properly. It is, perhaps, scarcely needful to say, that 
several of the joints which are enumerated above, are readily and 
commonly divided by the butcher and sold in portions for the 
convenience of small families and slender purses. If, at any time, 
more is bought than is wanted for present use, care should be taken 
to let it be from such parts as may be cut into two, the one for 



MARKETING. 



273 



roasting and the other for salting and boiling; or let it be such as 
may be easily warmed a-fresh, or otherwise presented hot again at 




A. 


"Rump. 


I. 


Chuck Rib. 


B. 


IVlouse Buttock. 


J. 


Neck, Clod, or Sticking Piece. 


C. 


Leg or Hock. 


K. 


Shin. 


D. 


Buttock or Round. 


L. 


Shoulder or Leg of Mutton Piece. 


E. 


Aitch-bone or Top. 


M. 


Brisket. 


F. 


Surloin. 


N. 


Thin Flank. 


G. 


Fore Ribs. 


0. 


Thick Flank. 


H. 


Middle Ribs. 


P. 


Veiny Piece. 



table, which Avill be the case with such parts as are stewed, and 
such cheap portions as the heart, and cold roasted ox-heart cut into 
slices and wai'med in gravy is as good as when first cooked. 







SECTIONS OF SHEKP, OR LAMB. 


1. 


Leg. 5. Best end of loin. 


2. 


Shoulder. 6. Best end of neck. 


3. 


Breast. 7. Chump end of loin 


4. 


Scrag end of neck. 8. Head. 

18 



274 MARKETING. 

Mutton. — Good mutton, of whatever breed, is known at a glance; 
the ham, dark, bright, crimson red; the fat, white and firm, and 
never too deficient in quantity according to the joint. Bad mutton 
is of an unsightly brownish color, and has a bad smell with a little 
fat, and that flabby and yellowish, often, but not always, the car- 
cass looks as if the beast had been devoured by consumptive lean- 
ness. If you can get a sight of the liver, its state will sometimes 
tell you tales of the creature's healthfulness or the reverse. 

Pork. — Pork, more than any other meat, requires to be chosen 
with the greatest care. The pig, from his gluttonous habits, is 
particularly liable to disease, and if it is killed and its flesh eaten 
when in an unhealthy condition, those who partake of it will prob- 
ably have to pay dearly for their indulgence. It is generally 
understood that dairy-fed pork is the best. Where it is possible, 
therefore, it is always safest to obtain pork direct from some farm 
where it has been fed and killed. When this cannot be done, it 
should either be purchased from a thoroughly respectable and 
reliable person or dispensed with altogether. Pork is best in cold 
weather. It is in season from November to March, It should be 
avoided during the summer months. The fat should be white and 
firm, the lean finely grained, and the skin thin and cool. If any 
kernels are to be seen in the fat, the pig was diseased at the time 
it was killed. Pork should not be allowed to hang more than a day 
or two before it is cooked, as it will not keep unless it be salted. 
If cooked quite fresh, however, it will be hard. The head, heart, 
liver, etc., should be cooked as soon as possible. Care should be 
taken that the pork be thoroughly cooked. 

Veal is best when the animal is from two to three months old. 
Teal, like all young meat, has a tendency to turn very quickly. It 
is both unpalatable and most unwholesome when it is at all tainted, 
and it cannot be recovered, as brown meats sometimes can, by the 
use of charcoal. Therefore it ought not to be kept more than two 
days in summer and four in winter. If eaten c[uite fresh it is apt 
to be a little tough. 



MARKETING. 



275 



If there is any danger of the veal becoming tainted, wash it, and 
put it into boiling water for ten minutes. Plunge it into cold water 
till cool, wipe it dry, and put it into the coolest place that can be 
found. No meat is more generally useful for making soups and 
gravies than veal. 






•*A 


SECTIONS OF CALF. 


, 


1. 


Loin, chump end. 


7. 


Fore knuckle. 


2. 


Loin, best end. 


8. 


Breast, brisket end. 


3. 


Neck, best end. 


9. 


Breast, best end. 


4. 


Neck, scrag end. 


10. 


Blade-bone. 


5. 


Fillet. 


11. 


Head. 


6. 


Hind knuckle. 







Turheys. — A young cock-turkey is the best, and may be known 
"by its smooth, black legs and short spurs. The spurs must be 
closely looked into, because it is an old trick of the dealers to cut 
and scrape them in order to get rid of old birds as young ones. If 
in good condition the eyes will be bright and full and the feet soft 
and pliable; whereas where stale the eyes will be dim and sunken 
and the feet stiff and dry. The beak of a young turkey is some- 
what soft, but hard and rigid in an old one. The legs of an old 
hen-turkey are red and rough. In other respects a hen-turkey may 
be judged of as a cock-turkey, spurs excepted. 

Fowls. — A young cock will have short spurs, which will require 
the same inspection as turkeys. A fine bird will have a smooth 
comb, a full fat breast, and a large rump. The skin should be 
delicate and transparent. Pullets are best when about to lay, at 
which time they have partially formed eggs inside. Fowls with 
black legs are best roasted. Game birds should, also, be roasted. 



276 MARKETING. 

Young Dorking, Spanish and Cochin should be provided for boil- 
ing. For broth, an old hen will do, if well cooked. 

Geese. — A young goose will have its beak and feet yellow with a 
very few bristles about them; but an old bird will have the feet 
and bill red and bristly. When fresh, the feet are pliable, but 
stiff and dry M'hen stale. The fat of a young bird is whiter and 
softer than that of an old bird, and the breast is plump, as is the 
case with all poultry in good condition; knowing which the dealers 
have a trick of breaking the breast bones to deceive their custom- 
ers, and foist upon them old birds for young ones. 

Ducks. — The feet and legs of a fresh killed duck are pliable and 
soft, but thoge of a stale one are stiff and dry. Freshness of the 
eye is an indication of a fresh bird. A wild duck has rather small, 
reddish feet, Avhile those of a tame duck are a dusky yellow, and 
somewhat large. An old duck should be kept hanging a few days 
before it is cooked; it will generally be lean and thin as compared 
with a plump young bird. 




CHAPTER XXIII. 

MEATS. 

Beef, Aitchbone of, to Caeve. 

■N carving an aitchbone of beef it is necessary that it should be 
cut across the grain. In order to do this the knife should 
follow the line A to B in the illustration. The meat should be 
cut of a moderate thickness, and 
very evenly. Cut the lean and the 
fat in one slice, and if more fat is 
wanted it should be taken horizon- 
tally from the side. Before proceed- ' 
ing to serve, a slice of about a quarter of an inch in thickness should 
be cut from the top, so that the juicy part of the meat may be 
obtaine«d at otfce. 

Brisket of Beef Stewed. 

Take six pounds of beef, and, before dressing it, rub it over with 
vinegar and salt; place it in a stewpanwith stock or water sufficient 
to cover it. Allow it to simmer for an hour, skimming it well all 
the time. Put in six each of carrots, turnips, and small onions ; and 
allow all to simmer until the meat is quite tender, which Avill 
require about two hours more. As soon as it is ready the bones 
should be removed. Boil for a few minutes as much of the gravy 
as will be required with flour and a little butter, and season it with 
catsup, allspice and mace. Pour a little of it over the brisket, and 
send the remainder to the table in a separate dish. 

Making Tough Steak Tender. 
Take one teaspoonful of salad oil, two teaspoonfuls of vinegar 

277 




278 MEATS. 

and a very little Cayenne pepper. Lay the steak upon it and let it 
remain one hour; then turn it over and let it lie an hour. Then fry 
or broil as usual. The vinegar softens the fibre and the oil keeps it 
soft. Steak may stand over night this way if turned about ten 
o'clock. Pounding steak is a great mistake; it breaks up the fibre, 
but drives out the juice and destroys much of its nutriment. 

Beef, Brisket of, to Carve. 
The accompanying engraving represents the appearance of a 

brisket of beef ready for the table. There is no difficulty in 

carving it. The only thing to 
observe is that it should be cut 
cleanly along the bones, in the 
direction indicated by the dot- 
ted line, with a firm hand, in 
moderately thick slices. Cut 

it close down to the bones, so that they may not have a rough and 

jagged appearance when removed. 

Broiled Steak. 
Never put salt on a steak until after it is cooked. After trim- 
ming on each side equally, dress to taste with sweet fresh butter, 
pepper and salt, and add, if preferred, a teaspoonful of lemon-juice. 

Broiled Beefsteak. 
To cook a good, juicy beefsteak, never pound it, but slash it 
several times across each way; have a nice bright fire and broil as 
quickly as possible, without burning; if the coals blaze from the 
drippings, sprinkle on a little salt, which will instantly extinguish 
the flames. Steak should be turned constantly while broiling, and 
to be rare should not cook over three minutes; butter and salt after 
taking up. This should be served very hot. 

Rnkfp Steak with Oyster Sauce. 
Let your oysters give a turn or two with plenty of butter in a 
frying-pan, then add peppgr and salt, a little flour, and the juice of 



MEATS. 279 

half a lemon, with enough water to make up the quantity of sauce 
you want, stir till the oysters are done, and serve with the steak 
broiled in the usual way. 

To Fry Steak, or Cook in Frying Pan. 
If you have not a bi'oiler, steak may be cooked nearly as well by 
heating the frying pan very hot and just greasing it with a little 
butter, or a little of the chopped suet, and lay in the steak and keep 
turning until sufficiently cooked; then transfer to a hot platter and 
season with salt and pepper, and cover with butter and serve. , 

German Way of Frying Beefsteak. 
Pound the cut steak a little, salt it and fry quickly with hot lard on 
both sides; pour off the lard and place the steak on the dish; put 
into the pan some fresh butter and fry with it some finely cut 
onions and pour this over the steak. 

Beefsteak Smothered with Onions. 
Melt a lump of butter in a frying pan; cover the bottom of the 
pan with onions sliced very thin; then lay the steak over them. 
When the onions are fried until they are tender, put the beef on 
the bottom of the pan and cover it with the onions; add butter or 
lard as you need it. Liver cooked in this way is nice also. When, 
it is done, lay it on a platter and heap the onions on the meat. A 
very little gravy made in the pan in which you have cooked the 
meat and onions is an addition, but make only a little and turn over 
the meat, seasoning it well with salt and pepper. 

Beefsteak Pie. 
Cut the steak into pieces an inch long, and stew with the bone 
(cracked) in just enough water to cover the meat until it is half 
done. Line a pudding dish with a good paste. Put in a layer 
of the beef, with salt and pepper, and a very little chopped onion; 
then one of sliced boiled potatoes, Avith a little butter scattered 
upon them, and so on until the dish is full. Pour over all the 



280 



MEATS. 




gravy in which the meat is stewed, having first thrown away 
the bone and thickened with flour. Cover with a crust thicker than 
the lower, leaving a slit in the middle. 

Ribs of Beef, to Carve. 
The rib should be cut in thin and even slices from the thick end 

towards the thin. This can 
be more readily and cleanly 
done, if the carving-knife is 
first run along between the 
meat and the end and rib 
bones. 

To Roast Ribs of Beef. 
The best piece to roast is 
the fore-rib, and it should be 
hung for two or three days 
before it is cooked. The ends of the ribs should be sawn off, the 
outside fat fastened with skewers, and the strong sinew and chime 
bones removed. The joint should first be placed near the fire, and 
after a short time it should be drawn back and roasted steadily. 
Baste freely with clarified drippings at first, as there Avill not be 
sufficient gravy when first put down; keep basting at intervals of 
ten minutes until done. Care must be taken not to allow it to 
burn, as it is easily spoiled. Serve with horse-radish sauce. 

To Roast Sirloin of Beef. 
Take out the suet and lay it thickly over the fillet. Tie the flap 
■under the fillet ard make all firm before it is put into the oven. 
Should che oven be very hot place a paper over the meat while yet 
raw, in which case it will need very little basting; or turn the rib 
side up toward the fire for the first tAventy minutes. The time it 
will take in cooking depends entirely upon the thickness of the 
joint and the length of time it has been killed. Skim the fat from 
the gravy and add a tablespoonful of prepared brown flour and a 
glass of sherry to the remainder. 




JIEATS. 281 

Sirloi:n" of Beef, to Carve. 
A sirloin should be cut with one good, firm stroke from end to 
«nd of the joint, at the upper portion, making the cut very clean 
from A, B to C. Then disengage it from the bone by a horizontal 
cut exactly to the bone, B to D, using the tip of the knife. Bad 
carving bears the hand away to the rind of the beef, eventually, 
after many cuts, peeling it 
back to the other side, leav- 
ing a portion of the best of 
the meat adhering to the 
bone. Every slice should be ^^ 
clean and even, and the sirloin 
should cut fairly to the very 
end. Many persons cut the 
under side whilst hot, not reckoning it so good cold; but this is a 
matter of taste, and so is the mode of carving it. The best way is 
first of all to remove the fat, E, which chops up well to make pud- 
dings, if not eaten at table. Then the under part can be cut as 
already described, from end to end, F to G, or downwards as shown 
by the marks at H. 

Beef Balls. 

Mince very fine a piece of tender beef, fat and lean; mince an 
onion, with some boiled parsley; add grated bread crumbs, and 
season with pepper, salt, grated nutmeg and lemon peel; mix all 
together and moisten it with an egg beaten; roll it into balls, flour 
and fry them in boiling fresh dripping. Serve them with. fried 
bread crumbs. 

Fillet of Beef. 

This is to be larded and dressed with a brown mushroom sauce. 
Trim the fat off a tenderloin of beef, and if you are going to dress 
it for dinner trim off the corners somewhat. It wants to be the 
shape of a fillet whole. A whole fillet is usually too large for a 
family dinner. Trim down the loin so it is smaller at each end. 



282 MEATS. 

Save the pieces of meat trimmed off, cnt up in bits an inch square 
and make a stew with a few mushrooms or potatoes. Never by 
any means throw them away. After the fillet is trimmed lard it by 
inserting little strips of fat salt pork over the upper surface with a 
larding needle. After larding lay on a baking-pan with thin slices 
of salt pork under it, and put buttered paper over it to prevent 
burning the pork. Bake or roast it. It is usually served rare; then 
it should roast fifteen minutes to a pound. If it is to be well done 
it should roast twenty minutes for each pound. Season when 
brown, not before, with pepper and salt. 

A Good and Cheap Wat to Cook Beef. 

A cheap dish can be made of a brisket or flank of beef. Cut a 
slice eight inches long and an inch thick, season highly, spread a 
stuffing of soaked bread highly seasoned over it, tie it up and lay 
in water enough to cover, and cook slowly a long time. This 
makes a very nice dish and should be served with red cabbage. 
Cut up the cabbage as for cold slaw. Put in a saucepan one table- 
spoonful of sugar, one of butter, half a cup of vinegar, half a 
dozen pepper corns, and half a dozen cloves; then put in the cab- 
bage, cover tight and set on the back of the stove and let it steam 
an hour, when it will be tender. The beef may also be 
served with red beets, boiled till tender without breaking, 
peeled and laid around the dish of meat. A nice way to 
bake beef is to put in the pan under it a bed of vegetables and 
scraps of pork, a tablespoonful of carrot, turnip, sprigs of parsley, 
a half dozen cloves and a half dozen pepper corns; add a bay-leaf, 
if you- wish, and a teaspoonful of onion. You will find that all 
these will give a nice flavor not only to the meat but also to the 
gravy made from the drippings. 

Beep a la Mode. 
Take a round of beef, remove the bone from the middle, also all 
the gristle and tough parts about the edges. Have ready half a 
pound of fat salt pork, cut into strips as thick and long as your 



MEATS. 283 

finger. Prepare a nice dressing the same as for stuffing a turkey. 

With a thin sharp knife make perpendicular incisions in the meat 

about half an inch apart, thrust into them the pork, and work in 

with them some of the dressing. Proceed thus until the meat is 

thoroughly plugged. Put it into a baking pan with a little water 

at the bottom; cover tightly and bake slowly four hours; then 

uncover, and spread the rest of the dressing over the top, and bake 

until a nice brown. After taking up, thicken the gravy and pour 

over the beef. It should be sliced horizontally. Is good either hot 

or cold. 

Pounded Beef. 

Boil a shin of twelve pounds of meat until it falls readily from 

the bone; pick it to pieces; mash gristle and all very fine; pick out 

all the hard bits. Set the liquor away; when cool, take off all the 

fat; boil the liquor down to a pint and a half. Then return the 

meat to it while hot; add pepper and salt and any spice you choose. 

Let it boil a few times, stirring all the while. Put into a mold 

or deep dish to cool. Use cold and cut in thin slices for tea, or 

warm it for breakfast. 

Beef Coquettes. 

Use cold roast beef; chop it fine; season with pepper and salt; 
add one-third the quantity of bread crumbs, and moisten with a 
little milk. Have your hands floured; rub the meat into balls, dip 
it into beaten egg, then into fine pulverized cracker, and fry in but- 
ter; garnish with parsley. 

Deviled Beef. 

Take slices of cold roast beef, lay them on hot coals, and broil; 
season with pepper and salt, and serve while hot, with a small lump 
of butter on each piece. 

Beef Sausages. 

To three pounds of beef, very lean, put one and one-half pounds 
of suet, and chop very fine; season with sage in powder, allspice, 
pepper and salt; have skins thoroughly cleaned, and force the meat 
into them. 



284 MEATS. 

Beef au Gratin. 
Take cold beef, either boiled or roasted, and cut it in thin slices. 
Grease a tin pan with butter, dust with bread crumbs, put in a little 
chopped parsley, and lay on the slices of beef. Put salt, pepper, 
and parsley on top, dust with bread crumbs, drop on lemon- juice, 
and a little broth, just to cover the bottom of the pan, and place it 
in the oven. 

Beef Heakt, 

Wash it carefully and stuff it nicely with dressing as for turkey; 
roast it about one and a half hours, and serve with the gravy, 
which should be thickened with some of the stuffing. It is very 
nice hashed. 

Dried Beef in Cream. 

Shave your beef very fine; pour over it boiling water; let it 
stand for a few minutes; pour this off and pour on good rich cream; 
let it come to a boil. If you have not cream, use milk and butter, 
and thicken with a very little flour; season with pepper, and serve 
on toast or not, as you like. 

Beef Omelette. 
Three pounds of beefsteak, three-fourths of a pound of %uet, 
chopped fine, salt, pepper, and a little sage, three eggs, six Boston 
crackers, rolled; make into roll and bake. 

Broiled Beef Tongue. 
Put a fresh tongue on the fire with just cold water enough to 
cover it, and with it a carrot, an onion, a bay-leaf, a couple of slices 
of lemon, some black pepper, salt and a little garlic. Let it simmer 
gently for about two hours till quite tender. Skin and trim it. 
Either serve it whole or cut it in slices, and arrange in a ring with 
the following thick sauce in the center: Strain the liquor in which 
the tongue was cooked (this should be reduced by simmering to a 
mere gravy) ; brown a large tablespoonf ul of flour in a good sized 
piece of butter; braize two or three cloves of garlic, and let them 



MEATS. 285 

steam a little while in the browning; then add the strained gravy 
by degrees, stirring it quite smooth. Add a little lemon-juice or 
vinegar; and whether it be served whole or sliced, dish the sauce 
with the tongue. If garlic is objected to, make a sauce of grated 
horse-radish, a carrot bruised fine, capers and a little wine. Gar- 
nish with lemon slices and parsley. 

To Boil Beef. 
Put fresh beef into boiling water (unless you wish to make soup, 
then it should be put into cold water) and bring quickly to a boil,^ 
then set on back part of the stove and simmer gently till done. 
Corned beef, if very salt, should be soaked over night, then put 
into lukewarm, not boiling, water. Simmer from the time of boil- 
ing till it is served up. Skim the pot thorouglily and turn the 
meat twice during the simmering. The meat will be much better 
if allowed to cool in the liquor in which it is cooked. 

Tongue Roasted. 
Parboil a tongue that has been salted about ten days; roast, 
baste with red wine, and cover it at last with butter. Serve with 
a rich gravy and sweet sauce. 

Tripe. 
This may be served in a tureen, stewed tender with milk and 
onions, or fried in bits dipped in butter. In both the above ways 
serve melted butter for sauce. Or cut the thin parts in oblong bits 
and stew in gravy; thicken with butter rolled in a very little flour, 
and add a spoonful of mushroom catsup. Or boil it tender in milk, 
and serve in milk-white sauce. 

Teipe a la Lyonnaise with Tomatoes. 
This economical dish, which is in reach of every family, is also 
very fine. Take two pounds of dressed and boiled tripe, cut into 
small strips two inches long and put into a saucepan. Parboil and 
drain off the first water; chop a small onion fine, and let all stew 
twenty minutes; add half a cup of thickening and then stir in half 



286 MEATS. 

a can of tomatoes; season with salt and pepper. This dish has 
become very popular in all the hotels throughout the country. 

Bullock's Heart, Roasted. 
Wash the heart in several waters, clean the blood carefully from 
the pipes, and put it to soak in vinegar and water for two hours or 
more. Drain it and fill it either with ham forcemeat or sage and 
onion stuffing. Fasten it securely, tie it in a cloth, put into a pan 
of boiling water, and let it simmer gently for two hours. Take off 
the cloth and roast the heart while hot, basting it plentifully with 
good dripping for two hours longer. Serve with good brown 
gravy and currant jelly. The stewing may be omitted- and the 
heart simply roasted for three or four hours, but the flesh will not 
then be so tender. 

Calf's Heakt, Roasted. 

Wash the heart very clean, soak it in vinegar and water, fill it 
with a forcemeat made of four ounces of bread crumbs, two ounces 
of butter, two tablespoonfuls of chopped parsley, half a teaspooaful 
of finely-minced lemon rind, and a little salt and Cayenne. Fasten 
the heart securely and bake for two hours. Serve it with good 
melted butter, mixed with a tablespoonful of lemon-juice or vin- 
egar. A calf's heart is improved by partially boiling before it is 
roasted. 

Calf's Heart, Fried. 

Wash and soak the heart, cut it into slices about a quarter of an 
inch thick and fry these in a little hot dripping or^ butter. About 
five minutes before they are done, put a slice of bacon into the pan 
for each slice of heart and when they are sufficiently cooked, serve 
on a hot dish and cover each piece of heart with a slice of bacon. 
Boil two or three tablespoonfuls of thin flour and water in the pan 
in which the meat was fried. Season it with pepper and salt; add 
one tablespoonful of red currant jelly and serve as hot as possible. 
The slices of heart will fry in fifteen minutes. 



MEATS. 287 

Sheep's Heart. Baked. 
Wash two or three sheeps' hearts in lukewarm water, fill them 
with Veal forcemeat, and skewer them securely. Fasten a rasher 
of fat bacon around each, place them iu a deep dish, and with them 
a little good stock, and an onion stuck with two cloves. Bake in a 
moderate oven for two hours; draw off the gravy; thicken with a 
little flour and butter, and season it with salt and pepper and a 
tablespoonful of mushroom or walnut catsup. Put the hearts on a 
hot dish, pour the gravy over them, and send red currant jelly 
with them to the table. 

Sweetbreads. 

Sweetbreads should be chosen as fresh as possible, as they very 
quickly spoil. There are two sorts — heart sweetbreads and throat 
sweetbreads. The heart sweetbreads are the best. In whatever 
way sweetbreads are dressed, they should first be soaked in luke- 
warm water for a couple of hours. They should then be put into 
boiling water and simmer gently for five or ten minutes, according 
to size, and then taken up and laid in cold water. Sweetbreads are 
quite as frequently employed as ingredients in sundry made dishes 
as served alone, and as they do not possess a very decided natural 
flavor, they need to be accompanied by a highly seasoned sauce, or 
they will taste rather insipid. They are in full season from May 
to August. 

Sweetbreads Fried. 

Prepare them as usual. Cut them in slices, iegg and bread-crumb 
them, dip them in clarified butter, bread them again, and fry in 
plenty of hot fat till they are brightly browned on both sides. 
Drain them, and then dish on toast. Serve with cucumber sauce. 

Sweetbreads Baked. 
After preparing the sweetbreads as above, brush them over in 
every part with beaten egg, roll them in bread crumbs, sprinkle 
clarified butter over them, and bread-crumb them again. Put them 



2SS MEATS. 

in a bakiiig-tin with about two ounces of butter, and bake in a well- 
heated oven; baste them till they are done enough and brightly 
browned. Take as many slices of hot toast as there are sweetbreads, 
put them in a dish, lay the sweetbreads upon them, pour brown 
gravy round, but not over them, and serve immediately. 

Sweetbreads Broiled. 
Take moderate-sized sweetbreads and prepare them in the usual 
way. Stew them in good stock till they are done enough. Then 
drain them and press them between two dishes till they are cold. 
Split them in halves and trim them neatly; brush them over with 
butter, and broil them over a clear but very gentle fire. Have a 
plate with clarified butter on it near the gridiron and keep dipping 
the sweetbreads in it, turning them frequently. When they are 
brightly browned all over they are done enough. Dish the slices 
in a circle, and send brown sauce, flavored with lemon-juice, to 
table in a tureen. 

Sweetbreads and Cauliflowers. 
Take four large sweetbreads and two cauliflowers. Split open 
the sweetbreads and remove the gristle. Soak them awhile in luke- 
warm water; put them into a saucepan of boiling water, and set 
them to boil ten minutes. Afterwards lay them in a pan of cold 
water to make them firm. The parboiling is to whiten them. 
Wash, drain and quarter the cauliflowers. Put them in a broad 
stewpan with the sweetbreads on them; season with a little Cayenne 
and a little nutmeg and add water to cover them. Put on the lid 
of the pan and stew one hour. Take a quarter of a pound of fresh 
butter and roll it in two tablespoonf uls of flour; add this with a 
cup of milk to the stew, and give it one boil up and no more. Serve 
hot, in a deep dish. This stew will be found delicious. 

Tomato Sweetbreads. 
Cut up a quarter of a peck of fine ripe tomatoes; set them over 
the fire, and let them stew in nothing but their own juice till they 



MEATS. 289 

go to pieces — then strain them through a sieve; have ready four or 
five sweetbreads that have been trimmed nicely and soaked in warm 
water. Put them into a stewpan with the tomato juice, and a little 
salt and Cayenne; add two or three tablespoonf uls of butter rolled in 
flour. Set the saucepan over the fire, and stew the sweetbreads till 
done. A few minutes before you take them up, stir in two beaten 
yolks of eggs. Serve the sweetbreads in a deep dish, with the 
tomato poured over them. 

Kidneys, Broiled or Roasted. 

Split the kidneys in two without separating the halves; peel off 
the thin outer skin. Season them with salt and pepper; broil them, 
laying the flat sides first on the gridiron, to keep the gravy in; or, 
fry them the same. Or place them with the flat side upwards in a 
baking dish and put them in the oven. When done, serve in the 
same dish in which they were baked. Immediately before serving, 
put on each half-kidney a piece of butter and a little finely-chopped 
parsley. 

Stewed Kidneys. 

Split the kidneys and peel off the outer skin as before; slice them 
thin on a plate; dust them with flour, pepper and salt; brown some 
flour in butter in a stewpan; dilute with a little water; mix smooth 
and in it cook the sliced kidneys. Let them simmer, but not boil. 
They will cook in a very short time. Butter some slices of toast 
and lay on a hot dish and pour over it the stewed kidneys, gravy 
and all. 

Fried Liver. 

Cut one pound of liver into slices one-fourth inch in thickness, 
and dredge some flour over them. Take an equal number of slices 
of bacon; fry the bacon first, and when it is done enough remove 
from the fat and place them on a hot dish. Fry the slices of liver 
in the same fat, and when lightly browned on both sides, dish bacon 
and liver in a circle, a slice of each alternately. Pour the fat from, 
the pan and dredge a little flour into it; add a quarter of a pint of 

19 



290 



MEATS. 



broth, a little salt and pepper and a tablespoonful of naushroom 
catsup. Stir smoothly together until the sauce boils, and pour into 
the dish with the liver. Garnish with sliced lemon. If liked, a 
tablespoonful of fiuely-minced gherkins or pickled walnuts may be 
added to the sauce. 

Fried Liver, No. 2. 
Take one egg to one pound of liver; cut the liver thin, scald with 
hot water and wipe dry; beat up the egg, dip the slices of liver 
into the egg, then into powdered cracker, and fry brown. 

Roast Quarter of Lamb. 
Trim the joint and skewer three or four slices of bacon securely 
to the outer side, brush three ounces of clarified butter over the 
inner part and strew upon it a thick covering of finely-grated bread 

crumbs seasoned with pepper, 
salt and a little finely-minced 
parsley. Put in the oven, and 
when nearly done remove the 
bacon and baste the meat with 
•the beaten yolk of egg mixed 
^% with the gravy, throw some 
more bread crumbs over it and 
let it remain until nicely browned. If liked, squeeze the juice of a 
lemon over it and serve with mint sauce. 

Lamb Chops, Fried. 
Cut a loin or neck of lamb into chops from half to three-quarters 
of an inch in thickness. Dip each one into beaten egg and after- 
wards into bread crumbs, flavored as follows: Mix three ounces of 
finely-grated bread crumbs with a saltspoonful of salt, half a salt- 
spoonful of pepper, a tablespoonful of finely-chopped parsley and a 
quarter of a teaspoonful of finely-mixed lemon rind. Fry the chops 
in good drippings until lightly browned on both sides. Serve on a 
hot dish and garnish with slices of lemon or crisped parsley. 




MEATS. 291 

Lamb Chops, Broiled. 
Cut the chops about half an inch thick, trim them neatly, remov- 
ing the superfluous fat, place them on a hot gridiron over a clear 
fire and brown them nicely on both sides. Season them with salt 
and pepper, and serve as hot as possible. Garnish with parsley. 
Mashed potatoes, asparagus, green pease, or spinach, are usually 
served with lamb chops. 

Stewed Lamb with Geeen Pease. 
Take two pounds of lamb, put it into a stewpan and cover with 
cold water; after removing the scum add a little pepper and salt^ 
then let the meat stew for an hour and a half or nearly two hours; 
now add some boiling water (to make gravy); add your green 
pease (half a peck before shelling); let these cook about twenty 
minutes; stir up a tablespoonful of flour into half a cup of milk 
and mix with the stew. Let this cook two minutes. 

Lamb Cutlets. 
Trim the slices free from fat, beat up the yolk of an egg with 
rasped bread or crackers, seasons with pepper and salt, dip in the 
cutlets and fry in butter gently, until thoroughly dona 

Boiled Breast of Mutton. 
Take out the bones, gristle, and some of the fat; flatten it on the 
kneading-board, and cover the surface thinly with a forcemeat 
made of bread crumbs, minced savory herbs, a little chopped 
parsley, pepper, salt and an egg. The forcemeat should not be 
spread too near the edge, and when rolled, the breast should be 
tied securely, to keep the forcemeat in its place. If gently boiled, 
and served hot, it will be generally liked. Serve with good caper 
sauce. 

Haunch of Mutton a la Venison. 
Mix two ounces of bay salt with half a pound of brown sugar; 
rub it well into the mutton, which should be placed in a deep dish 



292 MEATS. 

for four days, and basted three or four times a day with the liquor 
that drains from it; then wipe it quite dry, and rub in a quarter of 
a pound more of sugar, mixed with a little common salt, and hang it 
up, haunch downwards; wipe it daily till it is used. In winter it 
should be kept two or three weeks and roasted in paste, like ven- 
ison. Serve with currant jelly. The paste (made with flour and 
water) should be removed fifteen minutes before serving. 

Breast op Mutton with Pease. 
Cut about two pounds of the breast of mutton into small square 
pieces. Put them into a stewpan with about an ounce of butter, and 
brown them nicely, then cover with weak broth or water, and stew 
for an hour. Remove the meat from the stewpan, and clear the 
gravy from fat. Put the meat into a clean stewpan, add an onion 
or shallot sliced finely, a bunch of sweet herbs, some pepper and 
salt, and strain the gravy over all. Stew for another hour, then 
put in a quart of young pease, and serve in about twenty minutes» 
Macaroni may be used in the place of pease. 

Mutton Curried. 
Put four ounces of butter into a stewpan, and chop fine, or pound 
in a mortar four onions; add the onions to the butter with an ounce 
of curry powder, a teaspoonful of salt, a dessertspoonful of flour, 
and half a pint of cream; stir until smooth. Fry two pounds of 
mutton — cut in neat pieces without bone — to a light brown color. 
Lay the meat into a clean stewpan, and pour the curry mixture 
over; simmer until the meat is done. 

Mutton Chops. 
First select well-fed mutton, but not too fat, and get the chops 
evenly cut; if not, beat them into shape with the chopper. Not 
more than one-third of the chop should be fat. Put an ounce of 
butter or lard into the frying-pan; when it is entirely melted seize 
the chop at the bone end with a fork, and dip it for half a minute 
into the fat, then turn on one side, sprinkle with salt and pepper. 



MEATS. 293 

and if liked, finely-chopped shallot or onion, and savory herbs. lu 
three minutes turn, and serve the other side the same; equalize the 
cooking by frequent turning, but give the chop altogether not more 
than ten minutes. A piece of garlic, if the flavor be approved, 
may be rubbed across the dish when hot, or it may be rubbed 
lightly across the chop. Serve with plain or maitre d'hotel butter. 

Mutton Cutlets a la Minute. 
The mutton for these cutlets should be cut from the middle of 
the leg, and sliced thin; season slightly with salt and pepper. Fry 
the meat quickly over a brisk fire, to make it crisp, turning it often. 
Let the cutlets be kept warm in the oven while the gravy is pre- 
paring. Have ready some mushrooms, chopped with a shallot, a 
sprig or two of parsley and thyme, minced fine. Stew these in the 
butter for a few minutes, and season with salt and pepper; add flour 
and water, strain and serve round the^ cutlets. 

Mutton Cutlets and Puree of Potatoes. 
Boil or steam two pounds of mealy potatoes, mash them smooth, 
put them into a stewpan with two or three ounces of butter, two or 
three tablespoonfuls of cream or broth, pepper and salt; make them 
hot, and pile them in the center of a hot dish. The cutlets may be 
bread-crumbed and fried, or, if preferred, broiled and served round 
the puree. 

Boiled Leg op Mutton. 
Cut off the shank bone, put it into a large stewpan or kettle, with 
as much boiling water as will cover it. When restored to its boil- 
ing state, skim the surface clean, and set the stewpan back and 
allow the contents to simmer until done. Allow for a leg of mut- 
ton of nine or ten pounds, from two and a half to three hours from 
the time it boils. Boil very young turnips for a garnish, also boil 
larger turnips to mash. Place the young turnips, which should be 
of equal size, round the dish with the mutton and send the mashed 
ones to the table separately. Melted butter, with capers added, 



294 



MEATS. 



should accompany the dish. The liquor from the boiling may be 
converted into good soup at a trifling expense. 

Mutton Kebbobed. 
Take a loin of mutton; joint well; take the following dressing 
and put between each joint: Two tablespoonfuls chopped parsley, 
a little thyme, a nutmeg grated, a cup of bread crumbs; mix well 
with two eggs; roast one hour. If there is a large flap to the loin, 
some of the dressing may be put in and then skewered securely. 

Leg of Mutton, To Carve. 
The leg of mutton comes to the table as shown in Fig. 1. Take 
the carving fork, as usual, in your left hand, and plant it firmly in 
the joint, as shown by A, in Fig. 1, placing it rather over to the 
other side of the joint, and drawing the leg over toward you on the 
dish about one-third, which brings the position of the fork from A 
to B. Cut straight down across the joint at the line marked C, not 
quite to the bone. Make the second cut a little on the slant, as 
shown in D, and take the piece out; continue cutting from each 
side slantingly as the line marked D, either from the thick or the 

knuckle end, ac- 
cording to the 
taste of the per- 
son to be helped. 
A very small 
piece of the fat 
should be given 
with each slice 
of meat to those 
who like it. The 
knuckle, if any 
one asks for it, 

is first cut off in a lump, as shown by the circular line at F, and after- 
wards in slices. Mutton should be cut thick, but it should not be 
cut to the bone; the slice in the centre should not penetrate so far 





MEATS. ^ 295 

as the circular kernel of fat found there, and called the *' pope's 
eye," which is generally considered best to leave for hashing. 

The back of a leg of mutton is not generally cut until cold, when 
it is best sliced lengthwise, as shown in Fig. 2 ; the meat is still cut 
thick, but not quite so thick as in the cuts previously described. 
Cold mutton should be served with mashed potatoes and pickles, 
and the re- 
mains hashed, 
as there is 

much left on ^0 

the bone that • J8^\ r 

does not cut 

up well hot or ,^gtf^^^^^ ''/f^P"/ 

cold. There is -'-'—-- .,,y^y/.^ 

a part called H 

the "crump bone" in a leg of mutton, which may be removed by a 
circular cut from H to J in Fig. 2; it is usually relished cold. Fig. 
2 shows the joint when turned three parts over, held by the fork as 
previously described, and the dotted line at J indicates the direc- 
tion of the first cut. 

Roast Leg of Mutton. 
Get a leg of about eight pounds, which has hung at least a week, 
weather allowing. During hot summer weather this joint gets 
quickly tainted. Rub it lightly with salt, and put it at once into 
a hot oven for the first few minutes, then allow the oven to cool, 
and roast more slowly until done. Baste continually with a little 
good dripping until that from the joint begins to flow. When 
within twenty minutes to being done, dredge it with flour, and 
baste with butter or dripping; and when the froth rises serve on a 
hot dish. Make a gravy and pour round the meat, not over it. 

Mutton Cutlets with Provtstcale Sauce. 
Use one-fourth of a medium-sized onion, tablespoonful of butter; 
put over the fire and gradually add a spoonful of flour, cup of 



296 . MEATS. 

water, one-half cup thyme, season with pepper and salt and stir 
constantly; add the yolks of two raw eggs and cook until about as 
thick as cream. This sauce can be used on cold meats, or in cook- 
in <t raw meat. When used in cooking cutlets or other meats, the 
meats should be very slightly cooked on both sides in a hot skillet, 
then have a pot of fat large enough for the meat to swim in. Dip 
the cutlets in the sauce and put them in the boiling fat. Take 
them out and roll in cracker dust and bread crumbs; put them 
back, and do this occasionally until the meat floats on top of the 
fat. They are then done. 

Pork — To Keep Fresh in Summer. 
Take pork, when killed in the early part of the winter, and let it 
lie in pickle about a week or ten days, or until just sufliciently 
salted to be palatable; then slice it up and fry it about half or two- 
thirds as much as you would for present eating; now lay it away 
in its own grease, in jars properly covered, in a cool place, as you 
would lard. Re-fry when ready to use. 

Pork, to Cook. 
Large pork, such as portions of the shoulder, loin, or spare-rib, 
of large bacon hogs, may be cooked as follows: Rub the joint 
with pepper and salt, and put it into a large saucepan with a closely- 
fitting lid. When nearly done, add two or three onions and carrots, 
with half a dozen sticks of celery, four sage leaves, a bunch of 
parsley, a small sprig of marjoram and thyme, and as much stock 
or water as will cover the whole. Let the liquors boil up; skim 
(Carefully; then set back and simmer gently for three or four hours, 
.•according to size of joint. When the pork is done enough, lift it 
<out, ])ut the vegetables round it, strain and thicken a portion of tlie 
•gravy, and pour it boiling hot over the pork. When the pork is 
removed from the table, trim it neatly and place on a clean dish to 
be eaten cold, or thicken the rest of the gravy and pour over the 
meat to be warmed over. 



MEATS. 297 

Pork, Belly Rolled and Boiled. 
Salt a belly of pork — young meat is the best — by mixing a salt- 
spoonful of powdered saltpetre with two tablespoonfuls of common 
salt, sprinkle the mixture over the pork, and let it lie for three days. 
When ready to dress the meat, wash it in cold water, and dry it 
with a cloth. Lay it, skin downwards, orf the table, remove the 
bones, and cover the inside with pickled gherkins cut into thin 
slices. Sprinkle over these a little powdered mace and pepper. 
Roll the meat tightly and bind securely with tape. Put it into a 
saucepan with two onions stuck with six cloves, three bay-leaves, 
a bunch of parsley, and a sprig of thyme. Bring the liquid slowly 
to a boil, skim carefully, draw it to the back of stove, and simmer 
gently till the meat is done enough. Put it between two dishes, 
lay a Aveight upon it, and leave it until quite cold. The bandages 
should not be removed until the meat is ready to be served. Time 
to simmer, half au hour per pound. 

PoHK Brawn. 
Take a small pig's head with the tongue, and two pig's feet. Clean 
and wash them, sprinkle two tablespoonfuls of salt over them, and let 
them drain until the following day; dry them with a soft cloth and 
rub into them a powder made of six ounces of common salt, six 
ounces of moist sugar, three-quarters of an ounce of saltpetre, and 
three-quarters of an ounce of black pepper. Dry the powder well, 
and rub it into every part of the head, tongue, ears, and feet; turn 
them over and rub them again every day for ten days. Wash the 
pickle from them, cut off the ears, and boil the feet and ears an 
hour and a half; then put in the head and tongue, cover with cold 
water, and boil until the meat will leave the bones. Take them up, 
drain, cut the meat into small pieces; first remove all bones, and 
skin the tongue. Season the mince with a teaspoonful of white 
pepper, three saltspoonfuls of powdered mace, one saltspoonful 
each of powdered nutmeg and Cayenne. Stir all well together, 
press the meat while warm into a brawn tin, and lay a heavy weight 



298 MEATS. 

on the lid. Put it in a cool place until the following day; dip the 
mold in boiling water, turn the brawn out, and serve with vinegar 
and mustard. 

Pork Chops, Broiled. 

Cut the chops rather less than half an inch thick. Have a clear 
fire; make the gridiron hot before putting the chops on it; pepper 
the chops, and when nearly done sprinkle salt, and a little powdered 
sage over them. Let them bt; done through, turn frequently, and 
serve hot. Tomato sauce eats well with pork chops. 

Pork Chops, Fried. 
Cut pork chops a half an inch in thickness; trim them neatly; 
sprinkle them on both sides with a little salt and pepper. Melt a 
little butter in a frying-pan, put the chops in it and fry them until 
they are thoroughly done. If liked, a little powdered sage may be 
sprinkled over them before serving. Send apple sauce to table with 
them. 

Pork Cutlets, Broiled. 

Pork cutlets are best taken from the neck or fore loin of small 
dairy-fed pork, not very fat. Neatly trim them. Score the skin at 
regular intervals and flatten the cutlets with a cutlet-bat. Brush 
them over with oil, season with salt and pepj^er, and place them on 
a hot gridiron over a clear fire. Turn them occasionally, that they 
may be equally browned on both sides, and let them be thoroughly 
cooked. Put them on a hot dish, and send tomato, piquant or any 
appropriate sauce to table with them. 

Leg of Pork, Good as Goose. 
Parboil a leg of pork and take off the skin. Make a stuffing as 
follows: Mince two ounces of onion very finely; mix with it half a 
chopped apple, four ounces of bread crumbs, half a dozen chopped 
sage leaves, an ounce or butter, and a little pepper and salt. Bind 
the mixture together with the yolk of an egg. Make a slit in the 
knuckle, put the stuffing into it, and fasten securely. Put the pork 
into the oven and baste liberally. Half an hour before it is taken 



MEATS. 299 

up, sprinkle over it a savory powder made of two tablespoonfuls of 
bread crumbs mixed with one tablespoonf ul of powdered sao^e, and 
a little pepper and salt. Do not baste the meat after the powder 
is put upon it. Serve with good brown gravy and apple sauce. 

Pork Cutlets, Fried, 
Melt two ounces of butter in a saucepan, and stir into it a tea- 
spoonful of chopped parsley, a teaspoonf ul each of chopped sage, 
and minced shallot. Move these ingredients about for a few 
minutes, then add a little salt and pepper, and two well-beaten 
eggs. Dip the cutlets first into this mixture, then into finely-grated 
bread crumbs, and let them stand ten minutes. Melt a little butter 
in a frying-pan, fry the cutlets in it, and when thoroughly done, 
serve with a good brown sauce. 

Boiled Leg of Pork with Pease Pudding. 

Take a leg of pork and rub it over with salt; put it into a vessel 
and cover with salt and let it stand for ten days. At the end of 
that time boil it in soft water, and serve with cabbage all round it, 
and a pease pudding made as follows: Take a quart of dry pease, 
wash them, tie them in a clean bag, and boil with the pork. When 
the pease are done, strain them through a colander, put in a large 
lump of butter, some salt, and two yolks of eggs, and put back into 
the bag, and boil again for half an hour. The pease must be put into 
cold soft water for two hours before being boiled, otherwise they 
will never boil tender. 

Pork Pies. 

Make a crust as for chicken pies. Cut the meat into pieces the 
size of a small nut, and keep the lean and fat separate. Season the 
whole with pepper and salt and a teaspoonful of powdered sage. 
Pack the fat and lean closely into the pie in alternate layers until it 
is filled; put on the top crust and ornament according to taste; brush 
over with well-beaten egg, and bake in a slow oven as the meat is 
solid and requires to be cooked through, the outside pieces will be 
hard unless cut very small and pressed closely together. Take the 



300 MEATS. 

bones and trimmings of the pork arid stew them to make gravy; 
boil it until it will jelly when cold, strain, thicken and flavor, and 
when the pie is done raise the top crust and fill it with the gravy, 
and send the balance of the gravy to table in a tureen. 

Roast Loin of Pork, 
Score the skin of a fresh loin of pork at equal distances about a 
quarter of an inch apart. Brush it over with salad oil, season with 
salt and pepper, and place in a moderate oven. Baste liberally with 
butter or dripping at first, and when done serve on a hot dish, and 
serve with brown gravy and apple sauce. If liked, a little sage and 
onion stuffing may be served on a separate dish. 

Pork Cake, 
Cut the meat, fat and lean, from a cold joint o£ roast pork, and 
mince it very finely; mix with it a couple of large potatoes freshly 
boiled and mashed, a little salt and pepper, a chopped onion, and a 
little powdered sage. Add two or three eggs, a little milk, suffi- 
cient to make a very thick batter. Fry the cake like an omelet, or 
bake in a buttered dish. Serve with pickled onions or gherkins. 

Pork Sausages. 

Have two-thirds lean and one-third fat pork; chop very fine. 
Season v/ith nine teaspoonf uls pepper, nine of salt, three of pow- 
dered sage to every pound of meat. Warm the meat so that you can 
mix it well with your hands, do up a part in small patties, with a 
little flour mixed with them, and the rest pack in jars. When used, 
do it up in small cakes, flour the outside and fry in butter, or alone. 
They should not be covered, or they will fall to pieces, A little 
cinnamon to a part of them will be a pleasant addition. They 
should be kept where it is cool, but not damp,. They are very nice 
for breakfast. 

Pork and Beans, 

Take two pounds side pork, not too fat nor too lean, and two 
quarts of marrowfat beans; put the beans to soak the night before 



MEATS. 301 

you boil them in a gallon of milk- warm water. After breakfast, 
scald and scrape the rind of the pork, and put on to boil an hour 
before putting in tlie beans; as soon as the beans boil up, pour off 
the water and put on one gallon of fresh water; boil until quite 
tender, adding more water if necessary; great care must be taken 
that they do not scorch. When nearly as stiff as mashed potatoes, 
put into a baking-dish, score the pork and put in the center; brown 
in the oven one hour. If preferred use corned beef instead of pork. 

Pressed Head. 
Boil the several parts of the entire head and the feet, in the same 
way as for souse. All must be boiled so perfectly tender that the 
meat will separate easily from the bones. After neatly separated, 
chop the meat fine while warm, seasoning with salt, pepper, and 
other spices, to taste. Put it in a strong bag, place a weight on it 
and let it remain till cold. Or put it in any convenient dish, 
placing a plate with a Aveight on it to press the meat. Cut in 
slices, roll in flour, and fry in lard. 

Boiled Pig's Feet. 
Take the fore feet, cut off the hocks, clean and scrape them well; 
place two feet together and roll them up tightly in common mus- 
lin; tie or sew them so that they will keep in perfect shape, and 
boil them seven hours on a moderate fire — they will then be very 
soft; lift them out carefully and let them cool off; then remove the 
muslin and you will find them like jelly. Serve with vinegar, or 
split them and roll in bread crumbs or cracker dust, and fry or 
broil them. Serve with a little tart sauce. 

Pig's Foot Cheese. 
Boil the "hocks and feet of equal quantity loose in a pot till the 
meat will fall freely from the bones; season well with pepper and 
salt; put into a pan while hot and press it. Cut in slices and serve 
with vinegar or Worcestershire sauce. Both of the above are 
great delicacies if properly cooked. 



303 MEATS. 

To KoAsT A Sucking Pig. 

If you can get it wlicn first killed this is of great advantage 
Let it be scalded, which the dealers usually do; then put some sage, 
a large piece of stalish bread, salt and pepper in the inside and sew 
it lip. Observe to skewer the legs back, or the underpart will not 
crisp. Lay it to a brisk fii-e till thoroughly dry; then have ready 
some butter in a dry cloth and rub the pig with it in every part. 
Dredge as much flour over it as will possibly lie, and do not touch 
it again till ready to serve; then scrape off the flour very carefully 
with a blunt knife, rub the pig well with a buttered cloth, and take 
off the head while at the fire; take out the brains and mix them 
with the gravy that comes from the pig. Then take it up and cut 
it down the back and breast, lay it into the dish and chop the sage 
and bread quickly as fine as you can, and mix them with a large 
quantity of melted butter, that has a very little flour. Put the 
sauce into the dish after the pig has been split down the back and 
gai'nished with the ears and the two jaws; take off the upper part 
of the head down to the snout. In Devonshire it is served whole, 
if very small, the head only being cut off to garnish with as above. 
It will require from an hour to an hour and a half to roast, accord- 
ing to size. 

To Cure Hams. 

Take coarse salt, with a sprinkle of saltpetre, pepper and sugar; 
powder and mix; rub this in well a few times; smoke and Avrap closely 
in paper of four folds or more; pack in dry ashes four inches thick 
around each ham. They will keep through the hottest of weather 
and be as good as new. 

Ham Pie. 

Make a crust the same as for soda biscuit, line your dish, put in 
a layer of potatoes, sliced thin, pepper, salt, and a little butter, then 
a layer of lean ham; add considerable water, and you will have an 
excellent pie. 



MEATS. 303 

Boned Ham; Fine Substitute for Turkey. 
Take a good salted but unsmoked ham, remove the bone so as to 
leave the meat as solid as possible. In place of the bone put 
dressing made same as for turkey, and bake. It is good hot or cold. 

Baked Ham. 
Make a thick paste of flour (not boiled) and cover the ham with 
it, bone and all; put in a pan on a spider or two muffin rings, or 
anything that will keep it an inch from the bottom, and bake in a 
hot oven. If a small ham, fifteen minutes for each pound; if large, 
twenty minutes. The oven should be hot when put in. The paste 
forms a hard crust around the ham and the skin comes off with it. 
Try this and you will never cook a ham any other way. 

Smoked Meat on Toast. 
Take a cold smoked tongue or ham that has been well boiled, 
and grate it with a coarse grater or mince it fine, mix it with cream 
and beaten yolk of egg, and let it simmer over the fire. Prepare 
some nice slices of toast, butter them rather slightly, lay them in a 
flat dish that has been heated over the fire, and cov'er each slice 
with the meat mixture, Avhich should be spread on hot. Place on the 
table in a covered dish, for either breakfast or supper. 

Ham and Eggs. 

Cut the ham into thin slices and broil, and spread over it a little 
butter. Poach the eggs in salted water and lay neatly upon the 
ham. 

Boiled Ham. 

Soak twenty -four hours; put into a pot with cold water and boil 
gently for five or six hours; take it off the fire and let it remain in 
the water until cold. Peel off the skin and sprinkle with bread or 
cracker crumbs, and brown in the oven. Slice very thin for the 
table. 



304 



MEATS. 




Ham Balls. 
Take one-half cup of bread crumbs and mix with two eggs well 
beaten; chop fine some bits of cold boiled ham and mix with them. 
Make into balls and fry. 

Ham Garnishing and Ornamenting. 

The usual way of finishing a ham, when it is not glazed, is to 

draw off the skin carefully, 
dredge bread raspings all over 
the fat, and put the ham in the 
oven to become brown and crisp. 
Fasten a frill of white paper 
round the bone, and garnish 
with parsley or cut vegetables. 

To Glaze Hams. 

Remove the rind by taking hold of the thick end first. Trim it 
neatly, put it in the oven for a few minutes; and press a cloth over 
it to dry it; brush it over with a paste brush dipped in glaze (a 
strong clear gravy boiled down as thick as syrup). To melt the 
glaze, put the jar which contains it into a saucepan of boiling 
water, and stir until dissolved. Brush the ham with two or three 
coats. 

Collared Breast of Veal. 

Bone a breast of veal; lay it on the table and spread on it a thick 
layer of oyster forcemeat {See oyster forcemeat)', roll the veal as 
tightly as possible, and bind it with a tape. Put it into boiling 
water; let it boil up once; skim the liquor carefully; set the sauce- 
pan back and simmer the contents gently until done; put the bones 
into a separate saucepan with a moderate-sized onion, a bunch of 
sweet herbs, and a little pepper and salt; let them simmer till the 
liquor is strong and pleasantly flavored; strain it, thicken with a 
little flour and butter, and stir into it two or three tablespoonfuls 
of thick cream, or, if milk has to be used, beat into it the yolk of 



MEATS. 305 

an egg. Serve tlie meat on a hot dish with the sauce poured over. 
This dish may be garnished with forcemeat balls, and with the 
sweetbreads cut into slices, egged, and bread-crumbed and fried; 
or a little parsley and sliced lemon may be used instead. The meat 
may be baked instead of boiled, and then a little weak stock should 
be put into the pan with it, and it should be basted frequently. 

Boiled Breast of Veal. 

If the sweetbread is to be boiled with the veal, let it soak in water 
for a couple of hours; then skewer it to the veal. Put this into a 
saucepan, with boiling water to cover it; let it boil up, and care- 
fully remove the scum as it rises; add a handful of chopped 
parsley, a teaspoonful of pepper-corns, a blade of mace, and a little 
salt. Draw it back, and then simmer gently until done enough. 
Serve on a hot dish, and pour a little good onion sauce or parsley 
sauce over it. Send boiled bacon to the table on a separate dish. 
The sweetbread may, of course, be dressed separately. 

Ragout of Breast of Veal. 
Take off the under bone, and put the veal into a stewpan with as 
much boiling stock as will cover it; let the liquor boil up, then add 
a large carrot, sliced, three onions, a blade of mace, a bunch of 
sweet herbs, the thin rind of a lemon, and pepper and salt; skim 
the gravy and simmer it gently until the veal is quite tender- 
Thicken the gravy till it is of the consistency of sauce, and stir into 
it the strained juice of a lemon and a glass of sherry or Madeii-a. 
Put the veal into a dish, pour the gravy over it, and garnish with 
savory forcemeat balls and slices of lemon. 

Roasted Breast op Veal. 
If the sweetbread is retained, skewer it to the back; season and 
cover with a buttered paper. Put it into a moderate oven and 
baste liberally till it is done. When it is roasted about an hour and 
a half, remove the paper, flour the joint and let it brown. Serve 
on a hot dish with melted butter poured over. Garnish with sliced , 

20 



306 MEATS. 

lemon. Forcemeat balls may be served with the veal and mush- 
room sauce sent to the table with it. Time, twenty minutes to the 
pound. 

Bubble and Squeak of Veax. 
Take the remains of cold veal; cut the meat into neat slices; fry 
them in hot fat; put them where they will keep hot. Take some 
boiled spinach, fry this, also, and when it is quite hot, pile it on a 
dish and arrange the pieces of meat around it. Send tomato or any 
kind of piquant sauce to table with it. 

Veal Cake. 

Butter a plain earthenware dish or mold ; fill it with alternate layers 
of hard-boiled yolks of eggs, chopped parsley, and veal and ham, 
minced, seasoned highly, mixed thoroughly and beaten to a smooth 
paste. Pour a spoonful or two of seasoned stock upon the meat, 
cover the pan closely and bake in a gentle oven. When done 
enough, press firmly into the mold, put a plate with a weight upon 
it, and let it remain untouched until cold. Turn it out, garnish 
with parsley, and serve for luncheon or supper. Time to bake, 
about one hour. 

Veal Scallop. 

Chop fine some cold veal, and put a layer in the bottom of a 
pudding dish, and season with pepper and salt. Next put a layer 
of finely powdered crackers, and strew some bits of butter over it 
and wet with a little milk; then more veal, seasoned as before, and 
another round of cracker crumbs with butter and milk. When the 
dish is full, wet well with gravy or broth, and spread over all a thick 
layer of cracker, seasoned with salt, wet into a paste with milk and 
a beaten egg or two, and stick bits of butter thickly over it, and 
cover and bake a half or three-quarters of a hour; then remove the 
cover and brown nicely. 

Calf's Head, Boiled. 

Take a calf's head, cut it in two, and take out the brains; wash 
the head in several waters, and let it soak in warm water for a 



MEATS. 307 

quarter of an hour. Place it in a saucepan of cold water, and when 
the water comes to the boil, skim carefully; season when nearly- 
done. Half a head, without the skin, will require from an hour and 
a half to two hours. It must stew gently till tender. If you wish 
it full-dressed, score it superficially, beat up the yolk of an egg, 
and rub it over the head with a feather. Powder it with a season- 
ing of finely-minced or dried and powdered winter savory, thyme, 
or sage, parsley, pepper and salt, and bread crumbs, and brown in 
the oven; when dry, pour melted butter over. You may garnish 
the dish with broiled rashers of bacon. 

Calf's Brains a la Ravigote. 
Wash the brains in several waters, and free them from skin and 
fibre; boil them for ten minutes in salt and water mixed with a 
tablespoonf ul of vinegar, and when they are firm, cut them in slices, 
dip them in a batter, and fry them to a light brown. Place them, 
in a circle on a hot dish with a little fried parsley in the centre, and 
send ravigote sauce {See Savory Sauces) to table with them. 



CHAPTER XXIV. 

POULTRY. 

Chicken Saute, a la Marengo. 
iAREFULLY pick and singe the chicken. Clean it with a wet 
"Jl towel, as washing takes away much of the nutriment. Cut the 
bird in pieces beginning with the wing. Cut a small piece of 
the breast out Avith the wing. This distributes the white meat with 
the wing, otherwise the wing is a poor part. Next cut off the wing 
side bone and then the legs, cutting the upper joint in two near the 
middle, and the lower the same, dividing the second joint, which 
many think the best part of the chicken. This is better than giving^ 
all the best meat to one person. Next cut through the ribs, first 
one side then the other, taking the breast bone off and cutting it in 
three equal parts, trimming off the ends of the rib bones. It will 
then be easy to remove the entrails. Then break the neck and cut 
the backbone in two pieces. Save the heart, liver and gizzard; cut 
out the little sand-bag from the latter, and remove it all, instead of 
splitting it open and leaving the skin. In removing the gall take a 
part of the liver to make sure of no accident. Then place all these 
pieces in a saucepan, moistened with salad oil. As soon as the 
chicken begins to be browned put in a tablespoonful of flour; stir 
together and let the whole become brown by cooking. Then cover 
the whole with hot water, and season well with salt and pepper. 
If too much salt should be added it may be counteracted by a little 
vinegar and sugar. If it is desired, olives or button onions may be 
added. If so, put them in when the hot water is put in and cook 
slowly. After the flour and water are added, stirring is necessary, 

308 



POULTRY. 309 

and it should be done with a flat wooden stick, which will not 
scratch the pan like metal. White pepper is better than black, as 
it is more digestible and has not the hard pieces of shell. An 
apple corer can be used to take the stones out of the olives, but a 
more economical instrument is a small sharp knife with which the 
olive can be peeled off the stone. The onions should be used whole, 
carefully relieved of the dry shell. When the chicken is sufficiently 
cooked, add a glass of sherry or Madeira wine, but the wine should 
not be added until ready to serve. If the wine and olives are not 
used, you have a nice brown fricassee. Those chickens are the best 
which have small bones, short legs, and clean, white-looking flesh. 
Chickens with white legs should be boiled, those with black legs 
roasted. The flesh of chickens is generally considered more 
digestible than any other animal food. 

Capon* Ranaque. 
Use a capon or nice chicken. Have it carefully picked, singed 
and wiped with a wet towel; cut off the legs just below the joint; 
split down the back, and take out the crop; then bone the capon, 
whi(;h is done in this way: Cut down the middle of the back all the 
way; take out the crop, without breaking the skin of the neck; 
turn back the skin and cut the joint of the wing; then cut along 
close to the bone, until you have reached the leg joint, which twist 
out of joint where it joins the body; cut down the side until you 
have reached the edge of the breast bone, taking care not to cut 
the entrails; then go up the other side of the chicken in the same 
manner that you came down. Leave the leg and wing bones in; 
replace the bones taken out by stuffing, and sew up the carcass. 
For boned chicken, remove all bones from the inside. To stuff a 
capon you can use enough fresh pork and veal, in equal quantity, 
chopped fine, to fill up the place in the carcass. For every pound 
of forcemeat use one glass of wine and one whole egg; one tea- 
spoonful of salt, one teaspoonful of mixed ground spice, one-half 
saltspoonful of pepper. In the place of the spices you can use 
sweet herbs. You can use in the place of this forcemeat a nice 



310 POULTRY. 

stuffing of bread. When finished bake slowly about two hours. 
To make the stuffing use fresh pork and veal in equal quantities, 
chopped fine. If you have a five-pound chicken three pounds of 
forcemeat will be enough. Make two-thirds the weight of the 
chicken. Lean veal and lean pork, both raw. For one pound of 
forcemeat use one glass of wine — sherry or Madeira, one i^gg, one 
teaspoonf ul of salt, one teaspoonf ul of mixed ground spice, and one- 
half saltspoonful of pepper. The spice may be cloves, allspice, and 
nutmeg, and any sweet herb you wish — thyme, summer savory, or 
sweet marjoram, A regular boned chicken should be boiled, stuffed 
and sewed up. For the Ranaque, stuff, then sew up. Leave long 
ends in sewing so they will be easy to remove when it is done. 
Push the legs up to the breast as far as possible. Run a trussing 
needle through with a cord attached, which tie around the chicken. 
Then run a cord through the breast and wings, and pass it under 
the back and tie, A skewer may be used. Bake slowly two hours. 
It may be well to tie a slice of pork over the breast. 

Fricasseed Chicken. 
Cut up chicken, and boil with a slice or two of bacon in sufficient 
water to cover till quite tender. Fry some pork, and, when cooked a 
little, drain the chicken and fry with the pork till brown. Then take 
out and pour the broth into the frying pan with the pork fat, and 
make a gravy thickened with browned flour, season well with butter, 
and put the chicken into the gravy. Be sure and have the fat quite 
hot when the chicken is put in, so it will brown readily. 

Chicken Pie. 
Take two full-grown chickens, or more, if they are small, disjoint 
them and cut the backbone, etc., as small as convenient; boil them 
with a few slices of salt pork in water enough to cover them; let 
them boil quite tender, then take out the breast bone. After they 
boil and the scum is taken off, put in a little onion, cut very fine, 
not enough to taste distinctly, but just enough to flavor a little; 
rub some parsley very fine, when dry, or cut fine when green — this 



POULTRY. 311 

gives a pleasant flavor. Season well with pepper and salt, and a 
few ounces of good fresh butter. When all is cooked well, have 
liquid enough to cover the chicken; then beat two eggs and stir in 
some sweet cream. Line a five-quart pan with a crust made like 
soda biscuit, only more shortening, put in the chicken and liquid, 
then cover with a crust the same as the lining. Bake till the crust 
is done, and you will have a good chicken pie. 

Frying Chickens. 

Many people prefer chickens fried to any other way. Dissect, 
salt, and pepper; roll the pieces in flour and fry in lard. When 
done, pour oif the lard and put in a quarter of a pound of butter, a 
cup of cream, a little flour, and some parsley, scalded and chopped 
fine for the sauce. 

Chtctken Salad. 

Cut the meat from two chickens, or one, if you want a small dish. 
Add an equal quantity of shred lettuce, after you have cut the 
chickens into narrow shreds two inches long; stir in a bowl. Pre- 
pare a dressing thus: Beat the yolks of two eggs, salt lightly, and 
beat in, a few drops at a time, four tablespoonfuls of oil; then, as 
gradually, three teaspoonfuls of hot vinegar, and half a teaspoonful 
of best celery essence. The mixture should be thick as cream; pour 
over the chicken, mix well and lightly; put into a salad dish and 
lay sections of two hard-boiled eggs on top, with a chain of sliced 
whites around the edge. 

Chicken Croquettes. 
One cold, boiled chicken, chopped fine; then take a pint of sweet 
milk, and when the milk is boiled, stir into it two large tablespoon- 
fuls of flour, made thin in a little cold milk; after the flour is well 
cooked with the milk, put in a piece of butter the size of an egg, 
add salt and Cayenne pepper; stir all well into the chicken; roll up 
with your hand, and dip first into an egg beaten up, then into, 
crackers rolled fine, and fry in hot lard, or lard and butter. 



312 POULTRY. 

Baked Chicken. 
Split open in the back, season with salt and pepper, and plenty of 
butter; pour a little water into the pan, and, while baking, baste 
often, turning the chicken so as to nicely brown all over. When 
done, take up the chicken; thicken the gravy with a little flour 
and serve in a gravy boat. Chickens are nice stuffed and baked in 
the same manner as turkey. 

A Nice Way to Cook Chicken. 
Cut the chicken up, put into a pan, and cover with water; let it 
stew as usual. When done, make a thickening of cream and flour. 
Add butter, pepper and salt. Have ready a nice shortcake, baked 
and cut in squares, rolled thin as for crust. Lay the cakes on the 
dish, and pour the chicken and gravy over them while hot. 

Chicken Pudding. 
Cut up the chickens and stew until tender. Then take them 
from the gravy, and spread on a flat dish to cool, having first well- 
seasoned them with butter, pepper and salt. Make a batter of one 
quart of milk, three cups of flour, three tablespoonfuls of melted 
butter, one-half teaspoonful of soda, one teaspoonful of cream of 
tartar, and a little salt. Butter a pudding dish and put a layer of the 
■chicken at the bottom, and then a cup of the batter over it. Pro- 
ceed till the dish is full. The batter must form the crust. Bake 
an hour, and serve the thickened gravy in a gravy boat. 

Jellied Chicken or Veal. 
Boil a chicken in as little water as possible, until the meat falls 
from the bones; chop rather fine, and season with pepper and salt; 
put in a mold a layer of the chopped meat and then a layer of 
hard-boiled eggs, cut in slices; then layers of meat and egg alter- 
nately until the mold is nearly full; boil down the liquor left in the 
pot one-half; while warm, add one-quarter of an ounce of gelatine, 
and wlum dissolved, pour into the mold over the Tneat. Set in a 
cool place over night, to jelly. 



POULTRY. 313 

Scalloped Chicken. 

Mince cold chicken and a little lean ham quite fine; season with 
pepper and a little salt; stir all together, add some sweet cream, 
enough to make it quite moist, cover with crumbs, put it into 
scallop shells or a flat dish, put a little butter on top, and brown 
before the fire or front of a range. 

Chicken Pot-Pie. 

Cut and joint a large chicken; cover with water, and let it boil 
gently until tender; season with salt and pepper, and thicken the 
gravy with two tablespoonf uls of flour mixed smooth in a piece of 
butter the size of an egg. Have ready a nice, light, bread dough; 
cut with a biscuit-cutter about an inch thick; drop this into the 
boiling gravy, having previously removed the chicken to a hot 
platter; cover, and let it boil from one-half to three-quarters of an 
hour. To ascertain whether they are done or not, stick into one of 
them a fork, and if it comes out clean, they are done. Lay on the 
platter with the chicken, pour over the gravy, and serve. 

Broiled Chicken. 

Only young, tender chickens are nice broiled. After cleaning 
and washing them, split down the back, wipe dry, season with salt 
and pepper, and lay them inside down on a hot gridiron over a bed 
of bright coals. Broil until nicely browned and well cooked 
through, watching and turning to prevent burning. Broil with 
them a little salt pork, cut in thin slices. After taking them from 
the gridiron, work into them plenty of butter, and serve, garnished 
with the pork, slices of lemon and parsley. 

Ducks a la Francaise. 
Lard the breast of a duck with bacon and put it in the oven for 
an hour, and then put it into a stewpan of gravy previously pre- 
pared in the following manner: To one pint of beef gravy add two 
dozen chestnuts, roasted and peeled; two onions, sliced and fried 
in butter; two sage leaves, and a sprig of thyme; pepper and salt. 



314 POULTRY. 

When the duck has stewed till tender put it on a dish, add a 
quarter of a pint of port wine to the gravy, a little butter, and flour 
to thicken; pour it over the duck and serve. 

Pressed Chicken. 

Boil two chickens until dropping to pieces; pick meat off bones, 

taking out all skin; season with salt and pepper; put in deep tin 

mold; take one-fourth box of gelatine, dissolved in a little warm 

water, add to liquid left in kettle, and boil until it begins to 

thicken; then pour over the chicken and set away to cool; cut in 

slices for table. 

Duck a la Mode. 

Take a couple of ducks, divide them into quarters and lay them 
in a stewpan with a sprinkling of flour, pepper and salt. Put a 
large lump of butter divided into pieces at the bottom of the stew- 
pan and fry the ducks until they are a nice light-brown color. 
Remove the frying-pan and put in half a pint of gravy and a glass 
of port; sprinkle more flour and add a bunch of sweet herbs, two or 
three shallots minced fine, an anchovy, and a little Cayenne when 
the ducks have stewed in the gravy till tender, put them on a dish, 
take out the herbs, clear off any fat, and serve with the sauce 

thrown over them. 

Baked Duck. 

To cook a duck satisfactorily boil it first, until tender; this can 
be determined by trying the wing, as that is always a tough part of 
a fowl. When tender take it out, rinse it in clean water, stuff and 
put it in the oven for about three-quarters of an hour, basting it 
often. 

Braised Ducks. 

Prepare the ducks exactly like chickens for the dressing, which 
should be seasoned with butter, sage and onions, as well as salt and 
pepper. Put them in a pot with some chopped onions, a little 
butter and water enough to steam. Let them stew gently with the 
lid on, and then let the water evaporate and then brown them. 
Serve with green pease and jelly. 



POULTRY. 315 

Braise of Duck with Turnip. 
Prepare a domestic duck as for roasting. Line a small pan, just 
large enough for the duck, with slices of bacon; strew over the 
bottom a little parsley, powdered herbs, and lemon peel; lay in the 
duck, and add a carrot cut into strips, an onion stuck with a few cloves 
and a dozen whole peppers; cover with stock and add a tablespoon- 
ful of strong vinegar; baste frequently and simmer until done. 
Fry some slices of turnip in butter to a light-brown, drain and add 
them to the stewpan after removing the duck, which should be kept 
hot. When the turnips are tender remove them, strain the gravy, 
thickening if necessary with a little flour or arrow-root; put the 
duck on a dish, turn the hot gravy over it, and garnish with the 
turnips. 

Fricasseed Duck. 

Most people think a duck must be roasted, but try this once 
instead: Cut a mallard or red duck into four quarters; chop an 
onion fine, and put all into a pot; cover with water, and add more 
as it boils away. Stir a little celery seed, or celery chopped up fine, 
three or four strips of salt pork, and when nearly done add a table- 
spoonful of Worcestershire sauce. Build a mound of mashed potatoes 
around your dish and carefully lay the contents of the fricassee in 
the center. Season with salt and pepper. This makes a juicy and 
delicious dish. 

Mock Duck. 

Take a round of beefsteak; salt and pepper; prepare a dressing 
as for turkey and lay it in the steak; sew up; lay two or three slices of 
fat pork upon it and roast; baste often and you cannot tell it from 
duck. 

Minced Fowls. 

Remove from the bones all the flesh of either cold, roast or boiled 
fowls. Clean it from the skin, and keep covered from the air until 
ready for use. Boil the bones and skin with three-fourths of a pint 
of water until reduced quite half. Strain the gravy and let cool. 



316 POULTRY. 

Next, having first skimmed off the fat, put it into a clean saucepan 
with a half cup of cream, three ounces of butter, well mixed with 
one tablespoonful of flour. Keep these stii-red until they boil. 
Then put in the fowl, finely minced with three hard-boiled eggs, 
chopped, and sufiicient salt and pepper to season. Shake the mince 
over the fire until just ready to boil. Dish it on hot toast, and 
serve. 

To Carve Roast Fowl. 
Insert the knife between the leg and the body, and cut to the 
bone; then turn the leg back with the fork, and, if the bird is not 
old, the joint will give way. The wing is next to be broken off, 
r laiBim. 0. and this is done in the direction 

of A to B, only dividing the joint 
with a knife. The four quarters 
having been removed in this way, 
take off the merry -thought and 
the neck bones; these last are to be removed by putting the knife 
in at C and pressing it, when they will break off from the part that 
sticks to the breast. Next separate the breast from the body of the 
fowl by cutting through the tender ribs close to the breast, quite 
down to the tail. Turn the fowl now back upwards; put the knife 
into the bone midway between the neck and the rump, and on 
raising the lower end it will separate readily. Turn the rump from 
you and take off very neatly the two sidesmen, which completes 
the operation. The breast and wings are considered the best parts 
of a roast fowl, but in young fowls the legs are most juicy. In the 
case of a capon or large fowl, slices may be cut off the breast. 

Croquettes. 
Chop fine any cold pieces of cooked meat or chicken, or whatever 
you may wish to use, first removing all fat, bone, etc. ; add half the 
quantity of fine bread crumbs, one ^^^.i pepper and salt; make into 
balls and cook in a buttered spider; serve hot. 




POULTRY. 



317 



To Carve Roast Goose. 
Begin by turning the neck end of a goose toward you, and cut- 
ting the whole breast in long slices, from one wing to another. 
{See the lines A B.) To take off the leg, insert the fork in the 
small end of the bone, pressing it to the body; put the knife in at 
A, turn the leg back, and if 
the bird be young it will 
easily come away; if old, we 
will not answer for it. To 
take off the wing, insert the 
fork in the small end of the 










pinion, and press it close to the body; put the knife in at B and 
divide the joint. When the leg and wing are off one side, attack 
those on the other; but, except when the company is very large, it 
is seldom necessary to cut up the whole goose. The back and lower 
side-bones, as well as the two side-bones of the wings, may be cut 
off; but the best pieces of a goose are the breast and thighs, after 
being separated from the drumstick. Serve a little of the seasoning 
from the inside, by making a circular slice in the apron at C 
Should there be no stuffing, a glass of wine, a little orange gravy 
or vinegar, maybe poured into the body of the goose at the open- 
ing made at the apron by the carver. 

To Boil Goose. 
Pick and singe a goose carefully. Let it soak in lukewarm milk 
;nd water for eight or ten hours. Stuff and truss it securely; put 
it into a saucepan with as much cold water as will cover it; bring 
to a boil, and let it simmer gently till done enough. Send good 
onion sauce to the table with it. Time, from an hour to an hour 
and a half after it has boiled. 

Roast Goose. 
Pluck the goose, carefully remove the quill-sockets and singe off 
the hairs; cut off the neck close to the back, leaving the skin long 



318 POULTRY. 

enough to turn over. After drawing, wash and wipe the bird both 
inside and out, and cut off the feet and pinions at the first joint; 
pull out the throat and tie the end securely; beat the breast-bone 
flat with a rolling-pin; draw the legs up closely, and put a skewer 
through them and through the body; cut off the end of the vent 
and make a hole in the skin large enough for the rump to go 
through. This will prevent the seasoning from escaping. Make a 
stuffing of bread crumbs, onions and potatoes cut fine; season with 
pepper, salt, sage, and butter the size of an egg; fill the goose and 
tie down the wings; roast two hours and a half. Boil the liver and 
heart and add to the gravy, which must be thickened with flour. 
Send to table with apple sauce and mashed potatoes. 

Stuffing with Sage and Onion. 
Boil four large onions until tender; drain them from the water, 
and mince them finely with four fresh sage leaves, or six dry ones, 
four tablespoonfuls of bread crumbs, a teaspoonful of salt, a tea- 
spoonful of made mustard, and a teaspoonful of moist sugar, one- 
half teaspoonful of pepper, a large apple, pared and cored, and a 
quarter of a nutmeg, grated, may be added, if approved. 

Turkey. 

The turkey is highly esteemed and usually commands a high 
price, especially at Christmas, when most extravagant prices are 
often demanded and obtained for large and well-fed birds. Turkeys 
are in season from September to March, and are at their best in 
December and January. If the weather is suitable they should be 
hung fully a week before being dressed. In very cold weather 
care must be taken that they are not frozen in hanging, and if this 
is the case, they should be brought into a warm place for some 
hours before being cooked, or they will be spoilt. The hen bird is 
considered the best. 

" The turkey is the largest and, if not the most delicate, at least 
the most savory, of domestic poultry. It enjoys the singular 
advantage of assembling around it every class of society. "When 



POULTRY. 319 

our farmers regale themselves on a winter's evening, what do we 
see roasting before the kitchen fire, close to which the white-clothed 
table is set ? A turkey. When the useful tradesman or the hard- 
worked artist invites a few friends to an occasional treat, what dish 
is he expected to set before them ? A nice roast turkey, stuffed 
with sausage meat and Lyons chestnuts. And in our highest 
gastronomical society, when politics are obliged to give way to 
dissertations on matters of taste, what is desired, what is awaited, 
what is looked out for at the second course? A truffled turkey. 
In my * Secret Memoirs ' I find sundry notes recording that on many 
occasions its restorative juice has illuminated diplomatic faces of 
the highest eminence." 

Caeving of Turkey. 

The breast of a turkey is so large that slices taken neatly from it 
and from the wings generally suffice for all the company. They 
should be taken from each side alternately, beginning close to the 
wings, and a little forcemeat and a small portion of liver should be 
served to each guest. When it is necessary that the legs should be 
used, they should be separated from the body with a sharp knife 
and cut in slices, but it should be remembered that they, with the 
gizzard, will make an excellent devil. 

Boiled Turkey or Capon. 
When the poultry is plucked quite clean and singed, see that it is 
neatly trussed, and, before finally closing the vent, stuff the bird 
inside with as many raw oysters of the best quality as can be pro- 
cured, adding to the same a lump of fresh butter, and a portion of 
bread crumbs from a stale loaf. Remove the turkey or capons into 
a clean cloth, fold them up carefully, place them into a saucepan 
of cold water, and let them boil over a moderately-heated fire until 
they are thoroughly done. Have a stick' of white blanched celery 
at hand and chop it up very small; place it in a quart of new milk 
in a saucepan, and let it boil gently with a few black pepper corns, 
till the quantity is reduced to one pint; keep stirring the esculent 



320 POULTRY. 

up with the milk until it assumes the character of a consistent pulp. 
Thicken the Avhole witli the yolk of a fresh egg, well beaten up, 
with half a cup of fresh cream. Have upon the table a sauce-boat 
of strong veal gravy. 

Roast Turkey. 
A young turkey, weighing not more than eight or nine pounds, 
is the best. Wash and clean thoroughly, wiping dry, as moisture 
will spoil the stuffing. Take one small loaf of bread grated tine, 
rub into it a piece of butter the size o:^ an egg, one small teaspoon- 
ful of pepper and one of salt; sage, if liked. Rub all together, and 
fill only the breast of the turkey, sewing up so that the stuffing 
cannot cook out. Always put the giblets under the side of the 
fowl, so they will not dry up. Rub salt and pepper on the outside; 
put into dripping-pan with one cup of water, basting often, and turn- 
ing it till brown all over. Bake about three hours. Have left in the 
chopping-bowl a little stuffing; take out the giblets and chop fine. 
After taking out the turkey, put in a large tablespoonful of flour; 
stir until brown. Put the giblets into a gravy-boat, and pour over 
them the gravy. 

Roast Turkey, No. 2. 
Rinse out the turkey well with soda and water, then with salt, 
lastly with clear water. Stuff with a dressing made of bread 
crumbs, wet up with butter and water and season to your taste. 
Stuff the craw and tie up the neck. Fill the body and sew up the 
vent. We need hardly say that the strings are to be clipped and 
removed after the fowl has been roasted. Tie the legs to the lower 
part of the body that they may not "sprawl" as the sinews shrink. 
Put into the dripping-pan, pour a cup of boiling water over it, and 
roast, basting often, allowing about ten minutes' time for every 
pound. Be careful not to have your oven too hot — especially for 
the first hour or so. The turkey would, otherwise, be dry and 
blackened on the outside and raw within. Much of the perfection 
of roasting poultry depends upon basting faithfully.. Boil the 



POULTRY. 321 

giblets tender in a little water. When the turkey is done, set it 
where it will keep warm; skim the gravy left in the pan; add a 
little boiling water; thicken slightly with browned fl-our; boil up 
once and add the giblets minced fine. Season to taste; give another 
boil, and send to table in a gravy-boat. 

Boiled Turkey. 
Stuff the turkey as for roasting. A very nice dressing is made 
by chopping half a pint of oysters and mixing them with bread 
crumbs, butter, pepper, salt, thyme, and wet with milk or water. 
Baste about the turkey a thin cloth, the inside of which has been 
dredged with flour, and put it to boil in cold water with a tea- 
spoonful of salt in it. Let a large turkey simmer for three hours. 
Skim while boiling. Serve with oyster sauce, made by adding to a 
cup of the liquor in which the turkey was boiled the same quantity 
of milk and eight oysters chopped fine; season with minced parsley; 
stir in a spoonful of rice or wheat flour wet with cold milk; a table- 
spoonful of butter. Boil up once and pour into a tureen. 

Turkey Dressed with Oysters. 

For a ten-pound turkey take two pints of bread crumbs, half a 
cup of butter cut in bits (not melted), one teaspoonful of powdered 
thyme or summer savory, pepper, salt, and mix thoroughly. Rub 
the turkey well inside and out with salt and JDepper, then fill with 
first a spoonful of crumbs, then a few well-drained oysters, using 
half a can for a turkey. Strain the oyster liquor and use to baste 
the turkey. Cook the giblets in the pan, and chop fine for the 
gravy. A fowl of this size will require three hours in a moderate 
oven. 

Deviled Turkey. 

The legs, back, gizzard and rump of cold dressed turkey may be 
used for this dish. Score the meat along in a cross at regular dis- 
tances, three-quarters of an inch apart, and three-quarters of an 
inch deep. Rub into the gashes a well-mixed seasoning made of a 
saltspoonful of white peppei-, a saltspoonful of salt, a quarter of a 



322 POULTRY. 

saltspoonful of Cayenne, and the strained juice of a lemon, and 
cover with freshly-made mustard. Brush the pieces of meat over 
with butter or oil and broil over a clear fire till they are brown and 
crisp without being at all burnt, and turn them over that they may 
be equally done on both sides. Send to table on hot dish with 
little pieces of butter on them. Dry toast may be served as an 
accompaniment. The devil will be all the moi'e savory if it is pre- 
pared some hours before it is 'broiled. If liked, half a clove of 
garlic may be minced and mixed with the seasoning. 

Turkey Scallop. 

Pick the meat from the bones of cold turkey, and chop it fine. 
Put a layer of bread crumbs on the bottom of a buttered dish, 
m^oisten them with a little milk, then put in a layer of turkey with 
some of the filling, and cut small pieces of butter over the top; 
sprinkle with pepper and salt; then another layer of bread crumbs, 
and so on until the dish is nearly full; add a little hot water to the 
gravy left from the turkey, and pour over it. Then take two eggs, 
two tablespoonfuls of milk, one of melted butter, a little salt, and 
cracker crumbs as much as will make it thick enough to spread on 
with a knife, put bits of butter over it, and cover with a plate. 
Bake three-quarters of an hour. About ten minutes before serving, 
remove the plate and let it brown. 

Plain Stuffing. 

Take stale bread, cut off all the crust, rub very fine and pour 
over it as much melted butter as will make it crumble in your 
hands; salt and pepper to taste. 

Apple Stuffing. 

Take half a pound of the pulp of tart apples which have been 
baked or scalded: add two ounces of bread crumbs, some powdered 
sage, a finely-shred onion; season well with Cayenne pepper. For 
roast goose, duck, etc. 



POULTRY. 323 

Potato Stuffing. 
Take two-thirds bread and one-thii-d boiled potatoes,' grated, 
butter size of an egg, pepper, salt, one egg and a little ground sage; 
mix thoroughly. 

Chestnut Stuffing. 
Boil the chestnuts and shell them; then blanch them and boil 
until soft; mash them fine and mix with a little sweet cream, some 
bread crumbs, pepper and salt. For turkey. 

For other stuffings, see " Forcemeats,''^ 



CHAPTER XXV. 

SALADS. 

Anchovy Salad. 
'ASH six anchovies in water, remove the bones and the insides, 
J^ and also the heads, fins, and tails. Put them on a dish with 
two large heads of lettuce, cut small, half a dozen young 
onions, a saltspoonful of chopped parsley, and a sliced lemon. Pour 
over them the juice of a lemon mixed with salad oil, and send to 
table. 

Artichoke Salad. 

Wash thoroughly and quarter some very young artichokes, and 
serve them with salt, pepper, vinegar, and oil. They make a nice 
relish. 

Beetroot Salad. 

To some nicely-boiled and well-sliced beetroot, lay alternate rows 
of onions, also sliced, and pour over them any salad sauce, or 
simply oil and vinegar. Garnish with curled parsley. 

Celery Salad. 
Cut nice blanched salad very small. Wash clean and dry it; 
pour over it a Mayonnaise sauce {See Savory Sauces), or any salad 
dressing, and garnish with green celery leaves. 

Chicken Salad. 

Use the white meat of two good-sized chickens, and celery 

enough to make the proportion one-third chicken and two-thirds 

celery; boil ten eggs hard, rub the yolks perfectly smooth with a 

silver spoon, adding gradually four tablespoonfuls of olive oil, one 

324 



SALADS. 325 

tablespoonfiil of made mustard, two teaspoonfuls of salt, one tea- 
spoonful of black pepper, half a teaspoonful of Cayenne pepper, 
and one tablespoonful of sugar; add sweet cream by degrees until 
about the consistency of batter. Just before sending to the table, 
mix the dressing with the chicken and celery, and moisten with 
sharp vinegar. The juice of two lemons is an improvement. 

Chicken Salad, No. 2. 

Boil the white meat of two large chickens; cut it coarse, and 
add the white part of celery, cut coarse; a little more chicken than 
celery. 

Dressing. — Three yolks of eggs, well beaten; one pint of oil 
added drop by drop, and beaten; the juice of two lemons, one tea- 
spoonful of dry mustard, a little Cayenne pepper, a little salt. If 
not moist enough, beat the whites of two eggs and add to it. 

Cabbage Salad. 
To a dish of chopped cabbage, four teaspoonfuls of celery seed, 
or one bunch of celery. Put in a bowl, yolks of two eggs, one tea- 
spoonful of sugar, one teaspoonful of butter, one teaspoonful of 
pepper, one teaspoonful of ^salt, one teaspoonful of made mustard, 
one-half cup of vinegar. Set the bowl into hot water, and stir care- 
fully until it begins to thicken. Let it get cold, and pour over the 
cabbage. If it does not moLsten it enough, put in a little more 
vinegar. 

Fish Salad. 

This consists of cold fish of any kind, mixed with well-dried 
salad, pickled gherkins, or any other green pickle. Oysters or 
shrimps may^ be added to the other fish, which should be sepai'ated 
neatly into flakes, and the whole moistened with a salad dressing. 
Garnish with some slices of lemon and parsley. 

Hot Egg Salad. 

Put a tablespoonful of salad oil in a pan and let it get hot. 
Break in three eggs; stir a little with r fork, but not enough to 



326 SALADS. 

mix the yolks and whites; these should be kept separate. Put the 
eggs out on a dish, and put over them a tablespoonf ul of chopped 
pickle and a tablespoonful of grated lemon rind. Make a salad 
dressing of one tablespoonful of lemon-juice, three of salad oil, a 
saltspoonful of salt, and one-quarter of a saltspoonful of pej^per. 
Much of the niceness of this salad depends on its being served hot. 

Endive with Winter Salad. 

An ornamental and wholesome dish of salad may be made in 
winter principally by the aid of this plant. Only a little cress, 
celery, and beetroot will be necessary to form a striking contrast to 
the crisp, blanched leaves of the endive, which may be arranged 
[en bouquet) in the centre, or interspered with other materials, 
through the dish. Endive may be had good from November till 
March. 

Lettuce Salad. 

Wash and dry nice leaves of lettuce, and pour over a salad 
dressing, and garnish with slices of hard-boiled eggs. 

Lettuce Salad, No. 2. 

Wash, dry, and shred nice leaves of lettuce, and put them in a 
salad bowl. Cut four ounces of bacon into dice; fry these with a 
iinely-minced onion, and do not allow them to burn, add a little 
salt, if needed, half a teaspoonful of pepper, a tablespoonful of 
vinegar; pour all over the lettuce and mix thoroughly. Serve 
immediately. 

Lobster Salad. 

Pick the meat from the body of a lobster, take out the tail part 
in one piece, and cut it, with the contents of the claws, into slices 
a quarter of an inch thick. Chop the whites of two hard-boiled 
eggs small, and rub the yolks smooth. Do the same with the spawn 
or coral of the lobster, but mix the soft part and any bits with the 
sauce. Pour the sauce into the bowl, put in a layer of shred lettuce 
and small salad, and place the slices of lobster, with hard-boiled eggs 



SALADS. 327 

quartered and interspersed, with sliced beetroot, cucumber, etc., on 
the top. Repeat in the same manner till the bowl is full, sprinkling 
the egg and coral over and between the layers. To ornament, 
reserve some of the hard-boiled eggs, yolks and whites, arrange 
these with the coral, beetroot, and sliced lobster, so that the colors 
may contrast well. Before serving, pour some Mayonnaise sauce 
over the top. 

Game Salad. 

Take the remains of cold cooked game, pick up fine, and cover 
with a dressing made as follows: Take the yolk of a hard-boiled 
egg and mix it smoothly with a tablespoonful of salad oil; stir in a 
little salt and pepper, a little made mustard, a dessertspoonful of 
walnut catsup, and three dessertspoonfuls of vinegar. 

Orange Salad. 
A very simple dish made of tart oranges. Some peeled and 
sliced and some sliced unpeeled, garnished with one tablespoonful 
of lemon-juice, three tablespoonf uls of salad oil and a little Cayenne 
pepper. This is a nice dish for breakfast, or with game or cold 
meats. The oil, lemon, juice and pepper should be mixed in a dish 
and poured over the oranges. 

Potato Salad. 

Take some cold boiled potatoes and slice very thin; add to them 
three hard-boiled eggs, also sliced thin; chop one small, fresh onion. 
In a glass bowl or salad dish put a layer of potatoes, then a layer of 
eggs, and sprinkle over them a little chopped onion, salt and pep- 
per. For dressing, take the yolk of a raw egg and stir into it half 
a teaspoonful of made mustard. Beat into it, drop by drop, three 
tablespoonf uls of sweet cream; add one tablespoonful of strong 
vinegar and the white of the egg beaten to a stiflF froth. If needed 
for supper make at noontime. Flakes of cold boiled salmon, cod, 
or halibut, substituted for the eggs, or added with them, will 
improve the salad. 



328 SALADS. 

Salmon Saxad. 
One can of fresh salmon, four bunches of celery; chop as for 
chicken salad; mix with the salmon, and pour salad dressing over it. 

Summer Salad. 

Cut up a pound of cold beef into thin slices, and half a pound of 
white, fresh lettuce; put in a salad bowl, season with a teaspoonful 
of salt, half that quantity of pepper, two tablespoonfuls of vinegar, 
and four of good salad oil. Stir all together lightly with a fork 
and spoon, and when well mixed it is ready to serve. Chaptal, a 
French chemist, says the dressing of a salad should be saturated 
with oil, and seasoned with pepper and salt, before the vinegar is 
added; it results from this process that there can never be too much 
vinegar, for, from the specific gravity of the vinegar compared 
with the oil, what is more than useful will fall to the bottom of the 
bowl, the salt should not be dissolved in the vinegar, but in the oil, 
by which means it is more equally distributed throughout the salad. 

Russian Salad. 

Any three kinds of vegetables may be used — carrots, turnips 
and beets; string beans, carrots and turnips; or carrots, turnips 
and parsnips. The vegetables should be cut in slices about one 
and a half inches thick. These slices should be cut into cylin- 
der-shaped pieces. This could be done with an apple-corer or with 
a knife. These pieces should be put in dishes, keeping each vege- 
table separate. As they are cut throw the pieces into cold water; 
take from the cold water and put into boiling water containing a 
spoonful of salt to a quart of water. Boil each vegetable by itself 
and boil until tender; drain oif the juice and put the pieces into 
cold water until they are thoroughly cold. They are then ready to 
use for the salad. Beets must not be peeled or cut. Wh n boiled 
tender the skins should be taken off by rubbing in a towel as soon 
as cool enough to handle; and then cut in pieces like the other 
vegetables. The pieces left after cutting out what is wanted can 



SALADS. 329 

be saved by putting them in cold salt water. Pease, beans, spinach, 
and all vegetables, can be kept green by boiling and putting them 
in salt cold water until wanted to use. The dressing for the 
Russian salad is made plain, like that of orange salad, being a table- 
spoonful of lemon-juice or vinegar, three tablespoonfuls of salad 
oil, salt and Cayenne pepper. It is best not to put on the dressing 
until ready to serve. 

Sidney Smith's Receipt for Salad Dressikg. 
Two boiled potatoes, strained through a kitchen sieve, 
Softness and smoothness to the salad give; 
Of mordant mustard take a single spoon — 
Distrust the condiment that bites too soon; 
Yet deem it not, though man of taste, a fault, 
To add a double quantity of salt. 
Four times the spoon, with oil of Lucca crown. 
And twice with vinegar procured from town; 
True taste requires it, and your poet, begs 
The pounded yellow of two Avell-boiled eggs. 
Let onion atoms lurk within the bowl. 
And, scarce suspected, animate the whole; 
And lastly, in the flavored compound toss 
A magic teaspoonful of anchovy sauce. 
Oh, great and glorious! oh, herbaceous meat! f 

'Twould tempt the dying anchorite to eat; 
Back to the world he'd turn his weary soul, 
And plunge his fingers in the salad bowl. 

Vegetables akd Salads. 
Upon the washing of green vegetables for salads much of their 
excellence depends; they should be shaken about without breaking 
in a large pan of cold water well salted, since the action of the salt 
will destroy all the minute inhabitants of their fresh green coverts, 
and, once dead, from sheer force of gi-avity they will fall to the 
bottom of the water. When the salad plants are free from sand 



330 SALADS. 

and insects they should be shaken without breaking their leaves, in 
a colander, a wire basket, or a dry napkin until no moisture adheres 
to them; then they may be used at once or kept until wanted in a 
very cold, dark place. 

Water- CRESS Salad. 
Gather the water-cress when young, cleanse it thoroughly in salt 
and water, and serve as fresh as possible. Place it in a bowl, either 
alone or mixed with other salad plants, and toss in lightly a simple 
salad sauce. When served at breakfast, water-cress is best sent to 
the table as it is, fresh and crisp. 

Salad Dressing. 
Take half a pint of vinegar and let it get hot; then beat up two 
eggs, half a tablespoonful of flour, half a tablespoonful of sugar, 
one teaspoonful of mustard, a little salt and pepper, and four table- 
spoonfuls of melted butter; stir this in the vinegar and let the 
whole boil up till it is like custard, then mix it with whatever you 
have for a salad. It is good for potatoes, meat or tish. 

Salad Dressing, No. 2. 
Yolks of two hard-boiled eggs, rubbed very fine and smooth, one 
teaspoonful English mustard, one of salt, the yolks of two raw eggs 
beaten into the other, dessertspoonful of fine sugar. Add very 
fresh sweet oil, poured in by very small quantities, and beaten as 
long as the mixture continues to thicken; then add vinegar till as 
thin as desired. If not hot enough with mustard, add a little 
Cayenne pepper. 



CHAPTER XXVI. 

SOUPS, SAUCES, AND FORCEMEATS. 

Soups. 
J^ HERE is no part of cookery which is so imperfectly understood 
by ordinary cooks as the preparation of a soup. Amongst 
the "wealthy it is considered a necessity, and, as a matter of 
course, forms part of the dinner. Amongst the middle classes it is 
more usually served than it used to be, and is, year by year, 
increasingly appreciated; but amongst the lower classes it is all 
but scorned; and mistresses of small households will testify that 
the maid-of -all- work, who, when at home is half starved instead of 
being properly fed, will consider herself most hardly used if j^art of 
the provision of the day's dinner consists of a portion of wholesome 
soup. This opinion is, of course, a sign of ignorance. Soup is both 
nourishing and wholesome, and it may also be prepared economi- 
cally. With attention and a little trouble, it may be made from 
very inexpensive materials, and considering that when soup has 
been served, smaller inroads are made into the joint, the frugal 
housekeeper who has once calculated the difference in cost of a din- 
ner consisting of an economically made soup, meat and vegetables, 
and one of meat and vegetables only, will never object to the 
introduction of soup at her table on account of the expense. Soup 
may be made of a large variety of different articles, including meat 
of all kinds, bones, game, and poultry; fish, shell-fish, all kinds of 
vegetables, herbs, and farinaceous articles, milk, eggs, etc. The 
basis of all soup is stock. Instructions in making this will be 
found in its proper place, and it will, therefore, not be considered 

331 



332 SOUPS, SA.UCES, AND FORCEMEATS. 

here. Directions for making various soups will be found under 
their several headings; nevertheless, it may be found useful if a 
few rules, of universal ajjplication are here given as an assistance in 
their manufacture. 

There are three kinds of . soups — celery soup, thick soup and 
purees, A puree is made by rubbing the ingredients of which it is 
composed through a sieve. A thick soup is stock thickened by the 
addition of various thickening ingredients. These soups are best 
suited to the winter season. Clear soup is thin and bright, and 
adapted for use in the summer months. In making soup it is most 
important that every culinary article used should be perfectly clean. 
The inside of the covers of saucepans, the rims and the handles 
particularly require attention. The lid of the saucepan should 
never be removed over a smoky fire. The meat used should be 
freshly killed, and should be as lean as it can be procured; it should 
never be washed. The bones should be broken up into small pieces. 
Cold water should be put upon fresh meat and bones; boiling water 
(a small quantity at a time) upon meat or vegetables that have been 
fried or browned. As it is very important that no fatty particles 
should be left to float on the surface of the soup, this should be 
made, if possible, the day before it is wanted, so that the fat may 
be removed after it has grown cold. Soup should be simmered very 
softly till it is done enough. A large fire and quick boiling are the 
great enemies of good soup. In flavoring soup, the cook should be 
careful to add the seasoning ingredients in moderation and grad- 
►ually, especially such things as garlic, onions, shallots, spices, herbs, 
salt and Cayenne. An overdose of salt has spoilt many a dish of 
soup, while a deficiency thereof has again and again nullified the 
effect of the most delicate combination of flavors. As a general 
rule, two ounces of salt will suftice for a gallon of soup stewed with 
large quantities of vegetables; an ounce and a half only will be 
needed if the vegetables are omitted, or if a small quantity only is 
used. It should be remembered that salt and all seasonings can be 
added when they cannot be taken out. For flavoring purposes. 



SOUPS, SAUCES, AND FORCEMEATS. 333 

aromatic seasoning of herbs, and spices, and herb-powders for 
flavoring soups, will be found of great use. Whatever ingredients 
are added to soup, whether farinaceous articles, such as rice, ver- 
micelli, macaroni, etc., or vegetables, all should be partially boiled 
in plain water before they are put into the liquor. This will insure 
their being perfectly clean and bright. The flavor of rich brown 
soups will be brought out better if a small piece of sugar be added 
to it. This must not be used for white soups. Cream or milk, 
when put with soups, should be boiled separately, strained, and 
added boiling. If, instead of cream, milk and the yolk of an egg 
are used, the egg must on no account be boiled in the liquor. 
Either it must be mixed thoroughly with a little of the soup which 
has cooled for a minute, then be stirred into the rest, or, better 
still, it must be put into the soup tureen, a spoonful of the soup 
mixed with the milk stirred into it, and the rest added gradually. 
If soups are to be kept for a few days they should be boiled up 
every day, according to the state of the weather, put into freshly- 
scalded dry earthenware crocks or pans and kept in a cool place; 
cover with a piece of gauze. Soup should never be kept in metal 
vessels. 

Stock. 
Stock is the basis of all meat sauces, soups and purees. It is 
really the juice of meat extracted by long and gentle simmering, 
and in making it, it should be remembered that the object to be 
aimed at is to di-aw the goodness of the material out into the liquor. 
It may be prepared in various ways, richly and expensively, or 
economically. All general stock, or stock which is to be used for 
miscellaneous purposes, should be simply made, that is, all flavoring 
ingredients should be omitted entirely until its use is decided upon. 
The stock will then keep longer than it would do if vegetables, 
herbs, and spices were boiled in it, besides which the flavoring can 
be adapted to its special purpose. To ensure its keeping, stocks 
should be boiled and skimmed every day in summer, and every 
other day in winter. The pan and lid used in making it should be 



334 SOUPS, SAUCES, AND FORCEMEATS. 

scrupulously clean. A tinned iron pan is the best for the purpose. 
Those who wish to jjractice economy should procure a digester, 
which is a kind of stock-pot made with tlie object of retaining the 
goodness of the materials, and preventing its escaj^e by steam, 
when ready stock should be kept in an earthenware vessel, and 
never allowed to cool in a metal pan. Before being used, skim off 
all fat. Excellent stock is constantly made with the bones and 
trimmings of meat and poultry, with the addition or not of a little 
fresh meat, or a portion of extract of meat. In a house where meat 
is regularly used, a good cook will never be without a little stock. 
Bi'oken remnants of all kinds will find their Avay to the stock-pot, 
and will not be thrown away until, by gentle stewing, they have 
been made to yield to the utmost whatever of flavor and goodness 
they possessed. When fresh meat is used it is better for being 
freshly killed. The liquor in which fresh meat has been boiled 
should always be used as stock. 

Beak Soup. 
Soak one and a half pints of beans in cold water over night. In 
the morning drain off the water, wash the beans in fresh water and 
put them into a soup kettle Avith four quarts of good beef stock, 
from which all the fat has been removed. Set it where it will boil 
slowly but steadily until dinner, or three hours at the least. Two 
hours before dinner slice in an onion and a carrot. Some think it 
improved by adding a little tomato. If the beans are not liked 
"whole, strain through a colander and scMd to the table hot. 

Asparagus Soup. 
Select about two dozen of good asparagus stalks; boil these 
thoroughly in enough water to cover them; a quarter of an onion 
boiled with the asparagus is an improvement. When tender, take 
the asparagus out of the water, saving the water, and removing the 
onion; cut the asparagus into small pieces, of course only the 
tender part, and put them in a mortar, adding a little of the water; 
must be pounded until perfectly smooth; now take some sifted 



SOUPS, SAUCES, AND FORCEMEATS. 335 

flour, a dessertspoonful, a bit of butter as big as an egg, and a very- 
little pulverized sugar; mix well, and then put on the fire until it 
melts, stirring all the time; add this to the pounded asparagus and 
the rest of the water; when it has boiled a tew minutes, mix the 
yolk of one egg with a tumblerful of cream, and add this; if 
properly made, it wants no straining; use salt and pepper to taste, 
and a very little nutmeg; one stalk of asparagus may be left, which 
may be cut in thin slices, and added last. 

Beep Soup. 
Boil a soup bone about four hours; then take out meat into a 
chopping-bowl; put the bones back into the kettle. Slice very thin 
one small onion, six potatoes, and three turnips into the soup; boil 
until all are tender. Have at least one gallon of soup when done. 
It is improved by adding crackers, rolled, or noodles, just before 
taking off. Take the meat that has been cut from the bones, chop 
fine while warm, season with salt and pepper, add one cup of soup, 
saved out before putting in the vegetables; pack in a dish, and slice 
down for tea or lunch when cold. 

Common Soup. 
Take shank or neck of beef or meat of fowls; cut fine; crack the 
bones; put in a pot and stew slowly several hours, until all the 
meats are cooked to shreds. Pour on a little boiling water and 
keep boiling until nearly ready to serve; skim off all grease; add 
vegetables, potatoes, carrots, barley or rice as you may prefer — the 
vegetables having been previously cooked by themselves — and then 
add a little butter to give it richness. 

Clam Soup. 
Select five large, plump clams, and after chopping them finely; 
add the liquor to the meat. To every dozen allow a quart of cold 
water, and, putting meat, liquor and water into a clean vessel, allow 
them to simmer gently, but not boil, about one and one-half hours. 
Every particle of meat should be so well cooked that you seem to 



336 ■ SOUPS, SAUCES, AND FORCEMEATS. 

have only a thick broth. Season to taste aud pour into a tureen in 
which a few slices of well-browned toast have been placed. If 
desired, to every two dozen of clams allow a cup of new milk and 
one egg. Beat the latter vex-y light, add slowly the milk, beat 
hard a minute or so, and when the soup is removed fi'om the fire, 
stir the egg and milk into it. 

Corn Soup. 
Twelve ears of corn scraped and the cobs boiled twenty minutes 
in one quart of water. Remove the cobs and put in the corn and 
boil fifteen minutes, then add two quarts of rich milk. Season with 
salt, pepper and butter, and thicken with two tablespoonfuls of 
flour. Boil the whole ten minutes and turn into a tureen in which 
the yolks of three eggs have been well beaten. 

French Vegetable Soup. 
To a leg of lamb of moderate size take four quarts of water. Of 
carrots, potatoes, onions, tomatoes, cabbage and turnips, take a cup 
each, chopped fine; salt and pepper to taste. Let the lamb be 
boiled in this water. Let it cool; skim off all fat that rises to the 
top. The next day boil again, adding the chopped vegetables. 
Let it boil three hours the second day. 

Egg Sottp. 
Boil a leg of lamb about two hours in water enough to cover it. 
After it has boiled about an hour and when carefully skimmed, add 
one-half cup of rice, and pepper and salt to taste. Have ready in 
your tureen two eggs well beaten; add the boiling soup, a little at 
a time, stirring constantly. Serve the lamb with drawn butter, 
garnished with parsley and hard-boiled eggs cut into slices. 

Chicken Soup". 

Boil a pair of chickens with great care, skimming constantly and 

keeping them covered with water. When tender, take out the 

chicken and remove the bone. Put a large lump of butter into a 

spider, dredge the chicken meat well with flour, and lay in the hot 



SOUPS, SAUCES, AND FORCEMEATS. 837 

pan; fry a nice brown, and keep hot and dry. Take a pint of the 
chicken water, and stir in two large spoonfuls of curry powder, two 
of butter and one of flour, one teaspoonful of salt and a little Cay- 
enne; stir until smooth, then mix it with the broth in the pot. 
When well mixed, simmer five minutes, then add the browned 
chicken. Serve with rice. 

Cabbage Soup. 

Put into your soup kettle a couple of pounds of sweet bacon or 
pork that has not been too long in salt. Add, if you like, a bit of 
knuckle of veal, or mutton, or beef, or all three; skim well as they 
come to a boil. Shred into a pail of cold water the hearts of one 
or two cabbages, some carrots, turnips, celery and leeks. When 
the soup boils, throw all these in. When the vegetables are tender 
without falling to pieces, the soup is done. You may thicken with 
a few mashed, boiled potatoes. Simmer the meat two hours before 
adding the vegetables. 

Green Pea Soup. 

Boil a pint of green pease in water with salt, a head of lettuce, 
an onion, a carrot, a few leaves of mint, and a strip of parsley, some 
pepper and salt to taste, and a lump of sugar. When thoroughly 
done, strain off the liquor and pass the pease, etc., through a hair 
sieve; add as much of the liquor as will bring it to the right con- 
sistency; put the soup in a saucepan with a small pat of fresh 
butter; let it boil up, and serve with dice-shaped bread fried in 
butter. 

Gumbo Soup. 

Cut up a pair of good-sized chickens, as for a fricassee; flour 
them well, and put into a pan with a good-sized piece of butter, 
and fry a nice brown; then lay them in a soup-pot, pour on three 
quarts of hot water, and let them simmer slowly for two hours. 
Braid a little flour and butter together for a thickening, and stir in 
a little pepper and salt. Strain a quart or three pints of oysters, 

22 



338 SOUPS, SAUCES, AND FORCEMEATS. 

and add the juice to the soup. Next add four or five slices of cold 
boiled ham, and let all boil slowly together for ten minutes. Just 
before you take up the soup, stir in two large spoonfuls of finely- 
powdered sassafras leaves, and let it simmer five minutes, then add 
your oysters. If you have no ham, it is very nice without it. Serve 
in a deep dish, and garnish the dish with rice. 

Plain Gumbo Soup. 
Take a piece of ham half the size of your hand, and a knuckle of 
veal; put them in a pot with two quarts of cold water; simmer 
slowly two or three hours, then add two quarts of boiling water. 
Twenty minutes before serving, put in one small can of okra and as 
many oysters as you please. Season to taste. 

Lobster Soup. 
One large lobster; pick all the meat from the shell and chop fine; 
take one quart of milk and one pint of water, and, when boiling, 
add the lobster, nearly a pound of butter, salt and pepper to taste, 
and a tablespoonful of flour. Boil ten minutes. 

Macaroni Soup. 
Six pounds of beef put into four quarts of water, with one large 
onion, one carrot, one turnip, and a head of celery, and boiled three 
or four hours slowly. Next day take off the grease and pour into 
the soup-kettle, season to taste with salt, and add a pint of macaroni 
broken into small pieces, and two tablespoonfuls of tomato catsup. 
Half to three-quarters of an hour will be long enough to boil the 
second day. 

Macaroni, or Vermicelli Soup. 
Two small carrots, four onions, two turnips, two cloves, one 
tablespoonful salt; pepper to taste. Herbs — marjoram, parsley and 
thyme; any cooked or uncooked meat. Put the soup bones in 
enough water to cover them; when they boil, skim them and add 
the vegetables. Simmer three or four hours, then strain through 
& colander and put back in the saucepan to re-heat. Boil one-half 



SOUPS, SAUCES, AND FORCEMEATS. 339 

pound of macaroui until quite tender, and place in the soup tureen, 
and pour the soup over it — the last thing. Vermicelli will only 
need to be soaked a short time — not boiled. 

Mock Terrapin Soup. 

For the mock terrapin soup, take one and one-fourth pounds of 
calf's liver and put in salt boiling water for half an hour; add small 
herbs, one-half dozen grains of pepper, one teaspoonful of cloves, a 
few slices of onion, carrot, etc. When the vegetables are done, 
take them out and mash by putting them through a colander 
or sieve. Make a Spanish sauce of salt pork or bacon, fried 
enough to get the fat out of it; put into the fat a little slice of 
onion, a little celery, one-half dozen peppers, one-half cup of tomato, 
and cook brown. Take a teaspoonful of salad oil, a yolk of a hard- 
Taoiled egg, dust of Cayenne pepper, roll to paste, and make into 
small, round balls; put these into Spanish sauce, then put the sauce 
into the soup. When they come to the top, skim them out. Put 
in the tureen a glass of wine and slice of lemon, and pour in the 
soup; then cut the calf's liver into small bits and add it. 

Mock Turtle Soup. 
Clean a calf's head well and let it stand in salt .and water two or 
three hours; then soak it in fresh water. Put it to boil in cold 
water, and when sufficiently cooked, separate the meat from the 
bone. Strain the broth, cut the meat in small pieces, and add it to 
tUfc broth; season with salt and Worcester sauce, both of which are 
particularly suited to this soup. Next take one pound of suet, and 
two pounds of veal, chopped fine, with sufficient bread crumbs. Sea- 
soning as above, make some forcemeat balls and fry them in butter; 
chop three hard-boiled eggs fine, add these and a glass of wine. 

Mutton Soup. 
Boil a leg of mutton from two to three hours, and season with 
salt, pepper and about a tablespoonful of summer savory rubbed 
fine; add rice or noodles as desired. 



340 SOUPS, SAUCES, AND FORCEMEATS. 

Mushroom Soup. 
Take a good quantity of mushrooms, cut off the earthy end, and 
pick and wash them. Stew them with some butter, pepper, and 
salt in^a little good .stock till tender; take them out, and chop them 
up quite small; prepare a good stock as for any other soup, and 
add it to the mushrooms and the liquor they have been stewed in. 
Boil all together and serve. If white soup be desired, use the 
white button mushrooms and a good veal stock, adding a spoonful 
of cream or a little milk, as the color may require. 

Noodles for Soup. 
Beat one egg light; add a pinch of salt, and flour enough to make 
a stiff dough; roll out in a very thin sheet, dredge with flour to 
keep from sticking, then roll up tightly. Begin at one end and 
shave down fine, like cabbage for slaw. 

Okra Gumbo. 
Cut one chicken; wash, dry and flour it thoroughly; salt and 
pepper; fry very brown in a skillet with a lump of lard large as an 
egg' Put it into your soup kettle with five quarts of water; add 
one onion cut up, and let it boil two hours; add two dozen okra 
pods, and let it boil another hour. Season to taste and serve with 
rice. 

Ox-Tail Soup. 
Take two tails, wash, and put into a kettle with about one gallon 
of cold water and a little salt; skim off the broth. When the meat 
is well cooked, take out the bones, and add a little onion, carrot 
and tomatoes. It is better made the day before using, so that the 
fat can be taken from the top. Add vegetables next day, and boil 
an hour and a half longer. 

Oyster Soup. 
Two quarts of oysters, three pints of new milk, three ounces of 
tutter, one and one-half ounces of flour, salt and pepper to tastet 



SOUPS. SAUCES, AND FORCEMEATS. 341 

and mo,ce, if liked. Put the milk over boiling water; drain the 
oysters and put the liquor in a saucepan on the stove; wash the 
oysters and remove every particle of shell that may adhere to them. 
When the milk is hot add the butter and flour, rubbed smoothly 
together and thinned with a little of^the milk; let it cook, stirring 
slowly, until slightly thickened; the liquor, which must be well 
boiled, skimmed and hot, may then be added, and after that, the 
drained oysters. As soon as they are well puffed and the edges 
sohiewhat curled, serve the soup. Half a pint of rich cream is a 
great improvement and may be used instead of the butter. Serve 
with them a plate of small crackers, crisped in the oven. 

Potato Soup. 

Boil a half dozen potatoes, and mash thoroughly, mixing with it 
a quart of stock, seasoning with salt and pepper; boil it for five 
minutes, removing scum; add to this a tumblerful of milk last, and 
serve after the soup has come again to the boil; must be perfectly 
smooth. 

Turkey Soup. 

Take the turkey bones and boil three-quarters of an hour in 
water enough to cover them; add a little summer savory and celery 
chopped fine. Just before serving, thicken with a little flour 
(browned), and season with pepper, salt, and a small piece of 
butter. 

Southern Gumbo Fela. 
Take an onion and cut it up fine; have the lar^ quite hot, then 
drop the onion in and let it fry a light brown; dust in two table- 
spoonfuls of flour and stir all the time to keep from burning, and in 
a few minutes it will be brown; pour in boiling water as much as 
will serve the family, allowing for boiling down; have a nice fat 
chicken cut up, put it in the pot and let it boil until tender; take fifty 
oysters from th liquor and strain it to remove all pieces of shell; 
put the liquor in. a stewpan, let it boil up once, then skim and put 
the liquor in the pot, season with salt, black and red pepper, also a 



342 SOUPS, SAUCES, AND FORCEMEATS. 

small piece of garlic; after letting it boil some time, add the 
oysters; take two tablespoonfuls of fela and dust in, stirring all the 
time; as soon as it boils once it is ready to serve; always serve with 
boiled rice. 

Fela is prepared by our Indians, and is simply the young leaves 
of the sassafras, dried in the shade, and pulverized with a few 
leaves of the sweet bay. In the summer, young okra pods are 
used in place of fela. 

Tomato Soup. 

Seven good-sized tomatoes to two quarts of milk; stew and sea- 
son tomatoes highly with salt and pepper; have the milk hot; break 
into it a few crackers; stir in a large lump of butter; pour into a 
tureen, and just as you take to the table, add tomatoes, mixing 
them well together. 

TojiATo Soup, No. 2. 
One quart of tomatoes, one onion, two ounces of flour, four ounces 
of buttei*, two tablespoonfuls of sugar, two of salt, one-third of a 
teaspoonful of Cayenne pepper, three pints or water, one-half pint 
of milk. Boil the tomatoes and onion in water for three-quar- 
ters of an hour. Add salt, pepper, sugar, butter, and flour; rub 
smoothly together like thin cream; boil ten minutes; boil milk 
separately. When both are boiling, pour the milk into the toma- 
toes, to prevent curdling. Serve with squares of toasted bread. 

Green Turtle Soup. 
A glass of Madeira, two onions, bunch of sweet herbs, juice of 
one lemon, five quarts of water. Chop up the coarser parts of the 
turtle meat with the entrails and bones. Add to them four quarts 
of water, and stew four hours with the herbs, onions, pepper and 
salt. Stew very slowly, but do not let it cease to boil during this 
time. At the end of four hours strain the soup, and add the finer 
parts of the turtle and the green fat, which has been simmered for 
one hour in two quarts of water. Tliicken with browned flour; 
returA to the soup-pot, and simmer gently an hour longer. If theye 



SOUPS, SAUCES, AND FORCEMEATS. :i43 

are eggs in the turtle, boil them in a separate vessel for four hours, 
and throw into the soup before taking it up. If not, put ^n force- 
meat balls; then the juice of the lemon and wine; beat up once and 
pour out. Some cooks add the liner meat before straining, boiling 
all together for five hours; then strain, thicken, and put in the 
green fat, cut into lumps an inch long. This makes a handsomer 
soup than if the meat is left in. For the mock eggs, take the yolks 
of three hard-boiled eggs, and one raw egg well beaten. Rub the 
boiled eggs into a paste with a teaspoonful of butter, bind with a 
raw egg, roll into' pellets the size and shape of turtle eggs, and lay- 
in boiling water for two minutes before dropping into the soup. 

Soyer's Cheap Soups. 
Soyer, in his "Culinary Campaign," has given recipes for making 
palatable ^oups, which he says will not cost more than a cent a 
quart in London. Here is one of them: Take two ounces of drip- 
ping, quarter of a pound of solid meat, cut into pieces one inch 
square; quarter of a pound of onions, sliced thin; same of turnips 
(the peel will do) or a whole one cut into slices; two ounces of leeks 
(green tops will do) sliced thin; three ounces of celery; three- 
quarters of a pound of common flour; half a pound of pearl barley, 
or one pound of Scotch; three ounces of salt; quarter of an ounce 
of brown sugar; two gallons of water. First put two ounces of 
dripping into a saucepan capable of holding two gallons of water, 
with a quarter of a pound of leg-beef without bone, cut into 
square pieces of about an inch; and two middling-sized onions, 
peeled and sliced; then set the saucepan over the fire, and stir the 
contents around for a few minutes with a wooden or iron spoon 
until fried lightly brown. Have then ready washed the peelings of. 
two turnips, fifteen green leaves or tops of celery, and the green 
part of two leeks (the whole of which, I must observe, are alvyays 
thrown away). Having cut the above vegetable into small pieces, 
throw them into the saucepan with the other ingredients, stirring 
them occasionally over the fire for another ten minutes; then add 
one quart of cold water and three-quarters of a pound of copj- 



344 SOUPS, SAUCES, AND FORCEMEATS. 

/ion flour, and half a pound of pearl barley, mixing all well together; 
i^,hen add seven quarts of hot water, seasoned with three ounces 
}f salt, and a quarter of an ounce of brown sugar, stirring occasion- 
elly until boiling, and allowing it to simmer gently for three hours; 
at the end of which time the barley will be perfectly tender. The 
above soup has been tasted by numerous noblemen, members of 
Parliament, and several ladies, who have lately visited my kitchen 
department, and who have considered it very good and nourishing. 
Tile soup will keep several days when made as above described; 
but I must observe, not to keep it in a deep pan, but within a flat 
vessel, when the air could act freely upon it. Stir it now and then 
until nearly cold, or otherwise the next day it will be in a state of 
fermentation. This does not denote the weakness of the soup, 
because the same evil exists in the strongest of stock, or sauce, if 
not stirred or 'confined in a warm place — a fact known to every 
first-rate cook. The expense may come to three farthings per quart 
in London; but as almost every thing can be had at less cost in the 
country, the price of the soup will be still more reduced. In that 
case, a little additional meat might be added. By giving with this 
a small portion of bread or biscuit, better support would be given 
to the poor at a trifling cost; and no one, it is to be hoped, here- 
after, would hear of the dreadful calamity of starvation. 

Soup, No. 2. — Same Cost. 
Quarter of a pound of beef cut into pieces one inch square; two 
ounces of dripping, or melted suet, quarter of a pound of turnips, 
or carrots, cut into fragments half an inch square, four drops 
essence of meat, one and a half pounds of maize flour, three ounces 
of salt, quarter ounce of brown sugar, one teaspoonful of black 
pepper, ground fine. Take two ounces of either drippings, Amer- 
ican lard, or suet, to which add the turnips and carrots; fry for ten 
minutes; add one quart of cold water, and the meal, well mixed, 
and moisten by degrees with seven quarts of hot water; boil five 
hours, and season with three ounces of salt, one-quarter ounce of 
brown sugar, one teaspoonful of black pepper, two drops of essence 



SOUPS, SAUCES, AND FORCEMEATS. 345 

of garlic, one drop of essence of mint, a little celery; stir quickly, 
and serve directly. 

By adding a pound of potatoes to this, a superior soup will be 
the result. 

Aspic Jelly for Garnishing. 

Take two pints of nicely-flavored stock, of a clear, firm jelly; 
put this into a saucepan with a blade of mace, a tablespoonf ul of 
vinegar and a glass of sherry. Let it boil; then stir into an ounce 
of the best gelatine, which has been soaked in a little cool water. 
When again cool, add the whisked whites of two eggs; let it boil; 
then set back to settle; strain through a jelly-bag until quiiH clear, 
and pour it on a dish which has been standing in cold watez. Cut 
it into dice for garnishing. 

Aspic Jelly, Stock. 

Put a knuckle-bone of veal, a knuckle-bone of ham, a calf's foot, a 
large onion with four cloves stuck in, one large carrot, and a bunch 
of savory herbs, in two quarts of water, and boil gently till it is 
reduced rather more than half; strain, and put it aside to cool. 
Very carefully remove every particle of fat or sediment, and place 
the jelly in a saucepan with a glass of white wine, a tablespoonful 
of vinegar, salt and pepper to taste, and the whites of two eggs; 
keep stirring until it nearly boils, which may be known by its 
becoming white; then draw it back and let it simmer gently for 
fifteen or twenty minutes; put on the cover, let it stand to settle, 
and strain through a jelly-bag until it is quite clear. Put it into a 
mold. 

Bechamel Sauce. 

As white stock is the foundation of this sauce, it must be pre- 
pared first. Boil down an old fowl, two or three pounds of the 
knuckles of veal and three of very lean ham, with four carrots, two 
onions, one blade of mace, some white pepper-corns, two table- 
spoonfuls of salt and an ounce of butter, in four or five quarts of 
water. Cut up the fowl and veal, and put them with the ham to 



346 SOUPS, SAUCES, AND FORCEMEATS. 

simmer in a small quantity of water till the juices are extracted; 
then put in the full quantity of water, about three and one-half 
quarts, to the other ingredients. Let the liquid simmer from four 
to five hours; skim and strain till clear, when it is ready for the 
bechamel. Mix a tablespoonful of ai-rowroot with a pint of cream, 
and when well blended, let it simmer in a carefully cleaned pan for 
four or five minuses. Make one pint of the stock hot and pour it 
to the cream; simmer slowly for ten minutes, or until it thickens. 
if too thick, add a little stock. 

Anchovy Sauce. 
An easy way of making anchovy sauce is to stir two or three 
teaspoonfuls of prepared essence or paste of anchovy (which may 
be bought at your grocers) into a pint of melted butter; let the 
sauce boil a few minutes and flavor with lemon-juice. 

Bread Sauce. 
Take one' pint of white stock; boil with an onion, a little mace, 
pepper-corns and salt; strain and pour it over six ounces of bread 
crumbs; boil for ten minutes and add three tablespoonfuls of 
cream. 

Brown Sauce. 

Melt two ounces of butter in a small saucepan and add one ounce 
of flour, stirring until it is of a brown color. Then add suflicient 
boiling stock to render it of a cream-like consistency, and season to 
taste with salt and pepper. 

Cucumber Sauce. 

Take three young cucumbers, slice them rather thickly, and fry 
them in a little butter till they are lightly browned; dredge them 
with pepper, salt, and grated nutmeg, and simmer them till tender 
in as much good brown gravy as will cover them. White sauce or 
melted butter may be substituted for the gravy if these are more 
euitable to the dish with which the cucumber sauce is to be served. 
Time, about a quarter of an hour to simmer the cucumbers. 



SOUPS, SAUCES, AND FORCEMEATS. 347 

Chili Sauce. 

Twelve ripe tomatoes, pared, two large peppers, chopped fine, 
one large onion, chopped fine, two cups of vinegar, one tablespoon, 
fill salt, one cup brown sugar, one teaspoonful each of allspice, 
nutmeg, cloves, and ginger. Boil all together. 

Caphr Sauce. 

Two tablespoonfuls of butter, one tablespoonful of flour; mix 
well; pour on boiling water until it thickens; add one hard-boiled 

egg, chopped fine, and two tablespoonfuls of capers. 

k 

Celery Sauce. 

Put two ounces of butter into a saucepan, melt it, and add two 
heads of celery cut up into inch pieces; stir the celery in the pan 
till it is quite tender; add salt and pepper, with a little mace. Mix 
a tablespoonful of flour in a cup of stock and simmer half an hour. 
A cup of cream may be used instead of stock. 

Egg Sauce. 

Take yolks of two eggs, boiled hard; mash them with a table- 
spoonful of mustard, a little pepper and salt, three tablespoonfuls 
of vinegar, and three of salad oil. A tablespoonful of catsup 
improves this for some. This sauce is very nice for boiled fish. 

Fish Sauce. 
One-quarter of a pound of fresh butter, one tablespoonful of 
finely-chopped parsley, a little salt and pepper, and the juice of two 
lemons. Cream the butter; mix all well together. 

The Holla^daise Sauce. 
For one pint: one tablespoonful of salt, same of butter and flour; 
put them in a saucepan and put over the fire, and stir until the 
butter is melted. Add -gradually one pint of hot water, about half 
a cup at a time, and stir each time for a minute while it is boiling; 
season with white pepper, nutmeg, and make sure it is cooked. 



348 SOUPS, SA.UCES, AND FORCEMEATS. 

One great difficulty with sauces is they are raw. This makes the 
white sauce, which is the basis of many sauces. Add the yolks of 
two or three eggs, one tablespoonful of lemon-juice, or vinegar; 
three tablespoonfuls of salad oil. These may be added by putting 
them together in a separate dish and dipping a few spoonfuls of 
the white sauce upon them and stirring thoroughly, and then pour- 
ing back into the sauce. In this consistency the sauce makes a fine 
d/essing for lobster or chicken salad. This sauce is suitable for 
any kind of boiled fish. 

Hot Sauce for Meats. 

Four onions, two cups of sugar, thirty-two tomatoes, one quart 
of vinegar, four peppers, two tablespoonfuls of salt, two tablespoon- 
fuls of cinnamon, two tablespoonfuls of cloves, three tablespoonfuls 
of red pepper; cook, strain and bottle. 

Horse-Radish Sauce. 

Two teaspoonfuls of made mustard, two of white sugar, half a 
teaspoonful of salt and a gill of vinegar; mix and pour over 
grated horse-radish. Excellent with beef. 

Mushroom Sauce. • 

To make a pint of mushroom sauce for the fillet of beef, use one 
tablespoonful of butter and one of flour; put over the fire and stir 
until brown. Then put in half a pint of water or chicken broth 
and half a pint of essence of mushroom or the liquor found in a can 
of mushrooms; stir till the sauce is perfectly smooth, season with a 
saltspoonful of salt and quarter of a saltspoonful of pepper. Put 
in the mushrooms and boil two minutes; takeoff, put in a glass of 
sherry or Madeira wine, and pour around the fillet of beef. 

Mint Sauce. 

Mix one tablespoonful of Avhite sugar to half a cup of good vin- 
egar; add the mint and let it infuse for half an hour before sending 
to the table. Serve with roast lamb or mutton. 



SOUPS, SAUCES, AND FORCEMEATS. 349 

Mustard Sauce. 

One cup of sugar, one cup of vinegar, one tablespoonful of but- 
ter, four eggs and one tablespoonful of mustard; beat the eggs 
well; mix all together; turn into a new tin pail or basin and boil in 
water same as custard, only to a cream, not thick. Strain through 
a thin cloth and it is done. 

Prepared Mustard. 

Two tablespoonfuls of mustard, one of flour; mix thoroughly 
while dry. Have a cup two-thirds full of strong mustard; till with 
water, stir the flour and mustard into it and let it boil until as thick 
as custard; remove from the tire and add a tablespoonful of sugar. 

Made Mustard. 

Pour a very little boiling water over three tablespoonfuls of 
mustard; add one saltspoonful of salt, a tablespoonful of olive oil, 
stirred slowly in, and one tablespoonful of sugar; add the yolk of 
an egg; beat well together, and pour in vinegar to taste. It is best 
eaten next day. 

Mayonnaise Sauce. 

A mixture of egg yolks, oil, vinegar or lemon-juice. The prin- 
cipal point to be attended to in preparing this sauce is the mode of 
mixing, which demands time, patience and care. Break the yolk 
of a fresh egg into a bowl with a saltspoonful of pepper and 
salt mixed. Beat it till thick, then add from time to time 
during the mixing, two or three drops of the best olive oil until 
about four ounces have been used and the mixtui-e is thick and 
yellow. When eight teaspoonfuls of oil have been used, stir in one 
teaspoonful of white wine vinegar, and continue adding oil and 
vinegar in these proportions until all the oil is used. The yolk of 
one egg would be sufficient for a pint of oil and vinegar in propor- 
tion. The addition of a few drops of lemon-juice makes mayon- 
naise look creamy. Mayonnaise will keep a long time if bottled 
closely and kept in a cool place. 



350 SOUPS, SAUCES, AND FORCEMEATS. 

Maitre d'Hotel Butter. 

Knead together (on a plate with the point of a knife) equal 

quantities of chopped parsley and fresh butter. Add pepper, salt 

and a little lemon-juice. Keep in a cool place. When a dish is 

said to be a la Maitre d'Hotel it is generally served with this butter. 

Maitre d'Hotel Sauce. 
Melt two ounces of fresh butter in a small enameled saucepan, 
and stir to it, by degrees, twotablespoonfuls of flour; continue stir- 
ring five or ten minutes, until the butter and flour are well blended, 
when add, also by degrees, a quarter of a pint of boiling cream and 
a quarter of a pint of good veal stock, also boiling; add a few 
spoonfuls of each at a time and stir well, allowing the sauce to 
simmer a minute or two between each addition. When perfectly 
smooth, put in the strained juice of a lemon, or, if preferred, a 
tablespoonful of Chili vinegar, a little pepper, a pinch of salt, and 
a tablespoonful of chopped parsley. The yolks of two eggs are a 
great improvement to this sauce, and are almost necessary when it 
is served with fish; bjat in that case only half the quantity of flour 
should be used, as the eggs help to thicken it. 

Oyster Sauce. 
Prepare some nice drawn butter; scald the oysters in a little 
water and mix them with the butter; mix well and let the sauce 
come nearly to a boil, after which serve with oyster crackers. 

Old Currant Sauce for Venison. 
Boil an ounce of dried currants in half a pint of water, a few 
minutes; add a small cup of bread crumbs, six cloves, a glass of 
port wine and a bit of butter. Stir it till the whole is smooth. 

Piquant Sat^ce. 
Dissolve an ounce and a half of butter in a small saucepan over a 
moderate fire. Throw in a tablespoonful of chopped onions, and 
Stir them about for two minutes, sprinkle a teaspoonful of flour over 



SOUPS, SAUCES, AND FORCEMEATS. 351 

thetn, and beat it with a wooden or iron spoon to prevent it from 
getting into lumps. Add half a pint of stock or broth, a small 
bunch of parsley, a sprig of thyme, a bay leaf, and a quarter of a 
teaspoonful of Cayenne. Simmer gently for twenty minutes, then 
lift out the herbs, pour in half a wineglassful of vinegar, and add a 
little pepper and salt if required; let all boil ujj together and serve. 

Tomato Sauce. 
Nine ripe tomatoes, peeled and cut small, red pepper chopped 
fine, one cup of vinegar, two tablespoonfuls broAvn sugar, one table- 
spoonful of salt, one teaspoonful ginger, one of cloves, one of all- 
spice; put vinegar in last; stew one hour. 

Almond Forcemeat. 
Beat up the yolks of three eggs with a quarter of a pint of good 
cream, and flavor with a little nutmeg. Blanch and pound in a 
mortar three ounces of sweet almonds, using white of egg to 
moisten. Add these, with three-quarters of a pound of light bread 
crumbs, and three ounces of butter broken into small bits, to the 
egg mixture. Stir in, lastly, the whites of the eggs whisked to a 
solid froth, and fill either capon or turkey. 

Forcemeat Balls. 
Chop a quarter of a pound of beef suet, a little lemon peel, and 
parsley. Mix with a basin of bread crumbs, and flavor with pep- 
per, salt, and nutmeg. Moisten with the yolks of two eggs, roll in 
flour, and make up into small balls. Bake in a hot oven, or fry till 
crisp. This recipe will do for fowls. The addition of a little ham, 
chopped or pounded, will be found a considerable improvement. 

Chestnut Forcemeat. 
Remove the outer skin from some chestnuts (they should be ripe 
and sound). Boil them for two or three minutes to get off the 
inner skin. Peel them, and to preserve their color throw them into 
cold water; drain and weigh them. Stew six ounces of them 
gently for about twenty minutes in veal gravy. Let them get cold, 



352 SOUPS, SAUCES, AND FORCEMEATS. 

pound them till smooth with an equal quantity of butter, or half 
their weight in fat bacon, and add two ounces of bread crumbs, and 
a little salt, lemon rind, and nutmeg. Bind the mixture together 
with tlie unbeaten yolks of two eggs. If this forcemeat is formed 
into cakes, these should be dipped into flour before being fried. 

Forcemeat for Fish, Soups and Stews. 

Pound the flesh of a medium-sized lobster, half an anchovy, a 
piece of boiled celery, the yolk of a hard-boiled egg, salt, pepper, 
and Cayenne to taste. Mix these with a tablespoonful of bread 
crumbs, two ounces of butter, and two of raw eggs. Make into 
small balls, and fry a pale brown in butter. Two or three oysters 
may be added. 

Forcemeat for Game. 

Take the livers of the game and pound them with half their 
weight of beef suet and good fat bacon, mixed together; season 
with salt, pepper, and ground cloves. Use a little of the meat of 
the game if enough of the livers cannot be obtained; moisten with 
cream, and bind with the yolks of two eggs. If the forcemeat be 
required stifle, stew over a gentle fire, keeping it constantly stirred 
until the proper consistency is gained. 

Forcemeat for Turkeys. 
Take equal quantities of lean veal and pork, and mince them finely 
together; also cut into pieces a parboiled veal sweetbread, and mix 
with about three-quarters of a pound of each of the former meats. 
Add half a pound of bi-ead, soaked, and the same amount of warm 
butter. Flavor with a little nutmeg, salt, pepper and half an ounce 
of grated lemon rind. Bind with three beaten eggs, and fill the 
turkey. 

Mushroom Forcemeat. 

Procure four ounces of young, fresh mushrooms. Peel them, cut 
off the stems. Dissolve two ounces of butter in a stewpan, and let 
them simmer very gently over a slow fire, with a slight flavoring of 
mace and Cayenne. Spread them over a dish placed in a slanting 



SOUP^i, SAUCES, AND FORCEMEATS. 353 

position to drain avva,y tLie moisture. When cold mince them, and 
add four ounces of fine bread crumbs, a small seasoning of salt, 
Cayenne, mace, and nutmeg, a piece of butter, the yolks of two 
eggs. Put in as much of the mushroom gravy as will make the 
forcemeat of the proper consistency. Make into balls, poach and 
throw into soup; or fry, and serve round a dish of roast fowl or 
minc-^d veal. It is also a good stuffing for boiled fowls. 

Oyster Forcemeat. 
Gjt fresh oysters and cut them into quarters. Grate bread 
enough to fill half a pint, and one ounce and a half of finely shred 
si.'t or butter, which should be broken into bits. Mix all these 
ingredients together with a good flavoring of herbs, and a seasoning 
of salt, pepper, and grated nutmeg. Add two well-beaten eggs. 
This forcem^^at is for boiled or roast turkey. It may be made into 
bilU and used as a garnish. Twenty oysters are sufficient for one 
tur.>.^ ,. 



CHAPTER XXVII. 

FURNITURE. 

f Furniture Covers. 

T ^ I OTHING gives so dismal and unhospitable an appearance to a 
aM room as to have the chairs and sofa or couch covered with 
Q^ stiff unfriendly-looking linen; but pretty furniture that is 
used CA'^ery day must be protected in some way, and there are many 
coverings which are really ornamental. For instance, a couch may 
be kept from fading by taking a piece of Turkish toweling the 
required length — that is, a little longer than the couch, so that it 
will fall over the ends, and not slide down and wrinkle; put scallops 
of flannel on the edge. A border or centre-piece, or simply a vine 
wort-'d in some bright color across the ends, make a pretty addi- 
tion to it. Tidies that are very serviceable may be made of brown 
linen with an applique stripe of cretonne flowers. The easiest and 
most satisfactory way to prepare cretonne for transferring is to first 
work the figure which is to be cut out with the button-hole stitch, 
and then cut around that. When it is placed upon broadcloth, or 
any material which will not require washing, sew it with long 
stitches on the wrong side; but when transferred to linen, sew it 
firmly, so that it will keep its place when washed. The tidies may 
be finished by putting fringe or yellow lace across the ends; turn 
down and hem on the sides, and feather-stitch with worsted or 
working cotton or silk. 

The Use of Varnish. 
No one knows until she has tried it how much she may change 
the aspect of things about the house by using a little varnish. On 

354 



FURNITURE. 355 

a sunshiny day take the old chairs and tables out on the porch, or 
by an open door, and after thoroughly dusting and wiping off with 
a damp cloth, apply a thin coat of varnish, and so cover up scratches 
and marred spots of all kinds. It will dry in a very short time, and 
you will be surprised to see how much good you have done. A 
flannel cloth with a very little linseed oil is good to rub furniture 
with, but the greatest care must be exercised to jjrevent any oil 
being left on the wood to attract dust. It must be rubbed until 
you would not know, except by the improved appearance, that any 
oil had been used. 

How TO Make an Ottoman. 

A neat and useful ottoman may be made by taking a box in which 
fine-cut tobacco is packed, and covering it with cretonne. The top 
may be taken off and put on without difficulty if, after covering, a 
narrow raffle to fall over the edge is tacked on. An ottoman of 
this sort is convenient in the bedroom, where it may serve as a 
receptacle for stockings. If one does not care to buy cretonne, bits 
of carpet may be used for the covering. Burlap also makes a pretty 
cover, worked in some simple but showy pattern. 

To Render New Mahogant like Old. 
This is of service in the case of furniture repaired, or when 
lacquered handles have been changed for mahogany ones. Soap and 
water will darken to some extent; but if darker is required, use oil; 
or for very dark, use lime-water. 

To Clean Furniture. 
The cleaning of furniture should depend on the mode in which 
the furniture was originally polished. Tlio method a,t present most 
generally adapted is French polishing, a,n' in -such cases a little 
spirits of turpentine should be employed, which will clean off grease 
anl dirt without softening the varnish; it should, however, be 
rapidly done. If the furniture was originally polished with furni- 
ture paste (composed of bees'-wax dissolved in spirits of turpentine 



356 FURNITURE. 

by means of heat, and a little copal varnish, or finely-powdered 
rosin, with a litile Indian red added) it should be renovated by the 
same means. In the ease of furniture polished with oil, renovating 
should be effected by means of linseed oil, slightly colored by a 
little alkanet root, wiii'-h dissolves in oil, aided by slight heat. 

Dirty or Stained Furniture. 

If the furniture is in a bad state, but not stained, it will be suffi- 
cient to clean it by washing it well with spirits of turpentine, and 
afterwards polishing wiih linseed" oil colored with alkanet root. 
When, however, the furniture is stained or inky, it should be 
washed with sour beer or vinegar, warm; afterwards rubbing the 
stains with spirits of salts, rubbed on with a piece of rag, which 
will remove all the stains. The wood may then be polished, either 
with linseed oil colored with alkanet root, or with be,es'-wax dis- 
solved in turpentine, with a little cold varnish or rosin added. 

To Clean Paint. 

Provide a plate with some of the best whiting to be had, and 
have ready some clean warm water and a piece of flannel, which 
dip into the water and squeeze nearly dry; then take. as much 
whiting as will adhere to it, apply it to the ; ainted surface, when 
a little rubbing will instantly remove any dirt or grease. After 
which, wash the part well with clean water, rubbing it dry with a; 
soft chamois. Faint thus cleaned looks as well as when first laid 
on, without injury to the most delicate colors. It is far better than 
using soap, and does not require more than half the time and labor. 

To Make Glue. 

The glue, as bought, should be broken up small, first cov- 
ered with cold water, and allowed to soak for a few hours. It 
should then be placed near the fire, and allowed to simmer. The 
addition of a few drops of linseed oil will improve it; and, when 
made, it should be kept in a dry place, as damp will destroy its 
tenacity and render it useless. 



FURNITURE. 307 

To Revive Gilt Frames. 
One ounce of soda beaten ujj witli tlie whites of three ounces of 
eggs. Blow off the dust with a pair of bellows from the frames, 
then wash them over with a brush dipped in this mixture, and this 
will render them fresh and bright. 

• Magic Furniture Polish. 

Half pint alcohol, half ounce rosin, half ounce gum-shellac, a few 
drops aniline brown; let stand over night and add three-fourths 
pint of raw linseed oil and half a pint of spirits turpentine; shake 
well before using. Apply with cotton Hannel, and rub dry with 
another cloth. f 



CHAPTER XXVIII. 



HOUSE PESTS. 




Camphor, a Remedy for Mice. 
Any one desirous of keeping seeds frum the depredations of mice^ 
can do so by mixing pieces of camphor gum in with the seeds. 



358 



HOUSE PESTS. 359 

Camphor placed in drawers or trunks will prevent mice from doing 
them injury. The little animal objects to the odor, and keeps a 
good distance from it. He will seek food elsewhere. 

Rats — To Drive away Alive. 

If you choose to drive them away alive, take potash, pulverized, 
and put quite plenty of it into all their holes about the house. If 
the potash is pulverized and left in the air, it becomes pasty; then 
it can be daubed on the boards or planks, where they come through 
into rooms. 

How TO Deal with Rats. 

A writer in the Scientific American says: "We clean our prem- 
ises of these detestable vermin by making whitewash yellow with 
copperas and covering the stones and rafters in the cellars with it. 
In every crevice in which a rat may go we put the crystals of the 
copperas and scatter in the corners of the floor. The result was a 
perfect stampede of rats and mice. Since that time not a footfall 
of either rats or mice has been around the house. Every spring a 
coat of the yellow wash is given the cellar, as a purifier, and a rat 
exterminator, and no typhoid, dysentery or fevers attacks the 
family. Many persons deliberately attract all the rats in the 
neighborhood by leaving fruits and vegetables uncovered in the 
cellar, and sometimes even the soap is left open for their regale- 
ment. Cover up everything eatable in the cellar and pantry, and 
you will soon starve them out. These precautions, joined to the 
service of a good cat, will prove as good a rat exterminator as the 
chemist can provide. We never allow rats to be poisoned in our 
dwelling, they are so apt to die between the walls and produce 
much annoyance." 

To Destroy Bed Bugs, Moths, and Other Vermix. 

Dissolve alum in hot water, making a very strong solution; apply 

to furniture or crevices in the walls with a paint brush. Tliis is sure 

destruction to those noxious vermin, and invaluable because easily 

obtained, is perfectly safe to use, and leaves no unpleasant traces 



360 HOUSE PESTS. 

behind. "When you suspect moths have lodged in the borders of 
carpets, wet the edges of the carpets with a strong solution; when- 
ever it reaches them, it is certain deatli. 

Hellebore, rubbed over with molasses, and put round tli'^ places 
that cockroaches frequent, is a very effectual poison for tii» i... 

Arsenic, spread on bread and butter, and ])laced round ••at or 
mouse holes, will soon put a stop to their ruvj^g^s. 

Quicksilver and the white of an egg, beat together, and I'l'" vilh 
a feather round the crevices of the bedsteads and ihe saci^.ii<r, is 
very effectual in destroying bugs in them. 

To kill flies, when so numerous as to be troublesome, keep cobalt, 
wet with spirit, in a large shallow plate. The spirit will aitract 
the flies, and the cobalt will kill them very soon. IMack pc ppcr is 
said to be good to destroy them;»it should be mixed, so as to be 
very strong, with a little cream and sugar. 

Great care is necessary in using the above poisons, where there 
are any children, as they are so apt to eat anything that comes in 
their way, and these poisons will prove as fatal to them as to ver- 
min (excepting the pepper). 

The flour of sulphur is said to be good to drive ants away, if 
sprinkled round the places that they frequent. Sage is also good. 

Weak brine will kill worms in gravel walks, if kept moist with it 
a week in the sjjring, and three or four days in the fall. 

Cedar chests are best to keep flannels, for cloth moths are never 
found in them. Red cedar chips are good to keep in drawers, 
wardrobes, closets, trunks, etc., to keep out moths. 

To Prevent Red Ants. 
Put one pint of tar in an earthen vessel, pour on it two quarts of 
boiling hot water, and place it in your closet. 

How TO Get Rid of Flies. 
A clergyman, Avriting from Ireland, says: "For three years I 
have lived in town, and during that time my sitting room has been 
free from flies, three or four only walking about my breakfast table, 



HOUSE PESTS, 361 

■while all my neighbors' rooms were crowded. I often congratu- 
lated myself on my escape, but never knew the reason of it until 
two days ago. I then had occasion to remove my goods to another 
house, while I remained on for two days longer. Among other 
things moved were two' boxes of geraniums and calceolarias, which 
stood in my window, the latter always being open to its full extent 
top and bottom. The boxes were not gone half an hour before my 
room was as full of flies as those around me. This, to me, is a new 
discovery, and perhaps it may serve to encourage others in that 
which is always a source of pleasure, and which now proves also to 
be a source of comfort, viz., window gardening." 

Mosquitoes. 

Mr. I vers W. Adams writes from Bathurst, N. B., to Forest and 
Stream, that he tried a dozen prescriptions for repelling mosquitoes, 
flies, and similar pests, and found none of them effective until he 
came across the following, which ai'e dead sure every time: 

"Three ounces sweet oil, one ounce carbolic acid. Let it be 
thoroughly applied upon hands, face, and all exposed parts (care- 
fully avoiding the eyes) once every half hour, when flies are 
troublesome, or for the first two or three days, until the skin is 
filled with it, and after this its application will be necessary only 
occasionally. Another receipt, equally efficacious, is: Six parts 
sweet oil, one part creosote, one part pennyroyal. Either of these is 
agreeable to use, and in no way injurious to the skin. We have 
both of these in our camp with us, and all flies keep a safe distance." 



CHAPTER XXIX. 

TOILET. 

Cleaning Gloves. 
,N excellent preparation for cleaning gloves can be bought for a 
small sum at any drug store: Get one quart of deodorized 
benzine, one drachm of sulphuric ether, one drachm chloro- 
form, and two drachms alcohol. Cologne water can be added if 
desired. Pour a little of this into a clean bowl, and wash the gloves 
in it as you would wash anything. After the dirt is nearly out, 
rinse in more of the clean fluid. Usually one rinsing is enough, but 
if the gloves are very much soiled, rinse the second time. If the 
gloves are of cheap kid it is best to dry them on the hands, hut a 
nice glove, after having been rubbed with a soft cloth to smooth out 
the wrinkles, may be hung on a line to dry. This preparation is an 
excellent thing to keep in the house, not only for cleaning gloves, 
but for taking out grease spots from carpets and clothing, and for 
sponging coat collars and felt hats. 

Hair Receivers. 

The little Japanese parasols, which can be bought for four or five 
cents, make Very pretty hair receivers. Open them about half their 
extent; if necessary to make them stay half open, catch them Avitli 
a few stitches. Put a loop of ribbon around the handle and hang 
them up. 

Toilet Cushions. 

Pretty covers for toilet cushions can be made of bits of muslin 
and lace that are not large enough to do anything else with. First 
make the cushion; fill it with sawdust which has been heated until 

362 



TOILET. 363 

it is perfectly dry, otherwise the sawdust will shrink and the 
cushion be spoiled. Sawdust is preferable to bran, for there is 
danger of mice destroying the cushion if it is filled with bran. 
Cover the cushion with silk, or even pretty cambric or cashmere 
will do. Then make a square of the little pieces of lace and muslin 
and put over. Finish the cushion with a muslin ruffle edged with, 
narrow Italian lace, which costs a few cents a yard. 

Shaving Cases. 

The prettiest shaving cases I have ever seen are made by using 
for a foundation little Japanese paper fans. Cover the fan with 
silk or silesia, or combine; cut a piece of pasteboard the size of the 
fan, and, as this is to be the outside of the case, cover it with silk 
or satin, trim the edge with narrow lace or with plaited ribbon, 
ornament it with a bow, or paint a spray of flowers on it, or put on 
neatly a pretty transfer picture, or an initial, according to the 
means and taste of the maker. Fasten the paper leaves which may 
be pinked to the fan part, and then put on the cover, catching it 
with silk to the upper pai-t of the fan near the handle. Put a loop 
of ribbon or chenille at the end of the handle to hang it up by. 
This is an acceptable gift for a gentleman. 

To Cl£A2i Hais-Beusiies and Combs. 

Dissolve potash in boiling water, and rub the brush with soap; 
dip the brush into the solution, and draw it through the comb 
frequently, taking care to keep the wood dry. Lastly, rinse the 
hair in cold water, and dry; or, use spirits of ammonia and hot 
water; wash them well and shake the water out, drying on a coarse 
towel; they will look white and clean as new. Little or no soap is 
needed. 

To Clean Jewelry. 

Wash in soap suds; rinse in diluted alcohol, and lay in a box of 
dry sawdust to dry. As simple as this seems, it is the very nicest 
way possible to clean gold chains or ornaments of any kind. 



364 TOILET. 

Cologne Water. 
One drachm oil lavender, one drachm oil bergamot, two drachms 
oil lemon, two drachms oil rosemary, fifty drops tincture of musk, - 
eight drops oil of cinnamon, eight drops oil of cloves, one pint of 
alcohol. 

Cologne Water, No 2. 

Take of essence of bergamot and of citron each five drachms, 
essence of lemon four drachms, essence of rosemary two and one- 
half drachms, essence of orange flower three drops, alcohol one 
quart; mix together. Those who prefer a fuller perfume may add 
five drachms of lavender. 

Cold Cream. 
Take of the oil of almonds two ounces, of spermaceti half an 
ounce, and white wax half an ounce. Put them in a close vessel, 
and set the vessel in a skillet of boiling water. When melted, beat 
the ingredients with rosewater until cold. Keep it in a tight box, 
or wide-mouthed bottle, corked up close. 

Lip Salve, 
Dissolve a small lump of white sugar in a tablespoonful of rose- 
water (common water will do, but is not so good). Mix it with a 
couple of large spoonfuls of sweet oil, a piece of spermaceti, of the 
size of half a butternut. Simmer the whole well together eight or 
ten minutes, then turn it into a small box. 

Lavender Water. 
Take one pint of spirits of wine, one-half ounce of lavender oil, 
one-half ounce of bergamot, one shilling's worth of musk; mix all 
together in a bottle, and shake it occasionally. The longer it is 
kept the better it becomes. 

To Clean Gold Chains. 
Let the article required to be cleaned, stand for some time in a 
solution of caustic potash, until all the adhering dirt is removed. 



TOILET. • 365 

It should then be taken out of the water with a piece of stick, and 
rinsed in a large quantity of cold water, and placed on a soft clean 
cloth to dry. This method must not be used for rings or other 
articles that contain jewels, either gems or paste, or the silica, 
which is the principal ingredient in their composition, would be 
corroded by the potash. 

To Clean Gilt Jewelry. 

Wash the brooch, earrings, etc., with soap and water; rinse, and 
with a small, soft brush wash the article with spirits of hartshorn. 

To Remove a Tight Ring. 

If the finger on which the ring has been placed has swollen, and 
there seems a difficulty of removing the ring, pass a needle and 
cotton under it, pull the cotton up towards the hand and 
twist the remaining cotton round the finger several times until 
it reaches the nail. By taking hold of the end nearest the hand it 
is generally an easy matter to slide the ring off the finger, however 
much difficulty there may have appeared in doing so before the 
experiment was tried. 

Grease Eraser. 

Benzine, alcohol, ether, equal parts; mix; apply with sponge 
(patting the spot) ; put a piece of blotting paper on each side and 
iro'n with a hot flat iron. 

Cure for Chapped Hands. 

Glycerine applied over the hands at night is an excellent remedy. 
This remedy is very much employed in Russia during the preva- 
lence of severe frosts, to protect the skin of the face when exposed 
to the weather. 

Care of the Teeth. 

The teeth require to be kept particularly clean, rather than the 
application of mouth washes and elaborate dentifrices. The more 
simple the ingredients used, the better. Unless recommended by a 



366 • TOILET. 

good dentist, all tooth powders reputed to have beautifying effects 
should be used with caution. Washing the teeth night and morn- 
ing is the best preservative of their beauty and soundness. 

Offensive Feet. 
Take one part of muriatic acid to ten parts of water. Rub the 
feet every night with this mixture before retiring to bed. 

For Freckles, 

One quart rain water, one ounce benzoin, one ounce aqua ammo- 
nia, one ounce rosewater, two ounces glycerine; mix well; shake 
before using. 

Care of the Natls. 

The finger-nails should be trimmed to the shape of the fingers'- 
ends, leaving them moderately long, but not projecting beyond the 
tips of the fingers. Nails should not be cleaned with sharp-pointed 
scissors and pins — a soft nail brush is the right means. If the 
hands and nails have become unusually soiled, they should be 
rubbed with a little sweet oil or pomatum before washing with 
soap, and afterwards cleaned in tepid watei-. In wiping the hands 
the "crescent" of the nails should be preserved by gently pushing 
it back with the towel. 



CHAPTER XXX. 



KITCHEN. 

Care of Silver. 
'^HEN putting away the silver tea or coffee pot, which is not 
W used every day, lay a little stick across the top under the 
cover; this will allow fresh air to get in and will prevent 
mustiness. It will then be ready for use at any time, after having 
first been thoroughly rinsed with boiling water. 

Nothing is better to clean silver with than alcohol and ammonia. 
After rubbing with this, take a little whiting on a soft cloth and 
polish. Even frosted silver, which is so difficult to clean, may be 
easily made clear and bright. 

New Kettles. 
The best way to prepare a new iron kettle for use Is to fill it with 
clean potato peelings, boil them for an hour or more, then wash the 
kettle with hot water, wipe it dry, and rub it with a little lard; 
repeat the rubbing for half an dozen times after using. In this 
way you will prevent rust, and all the annoyances liable to occur in 
the use of a new kettle. 

To Purify "Water. 
A large spoonful of pulverized alum sprinkled into a hogshead of 
water (the water stirred round at the time), will, after the lapse of 
a few hours, so purify it that it will be found to possess nearly the 
freshness and clearness of finest spring water. A pailful containing 
four gallons may be purified by a single spoonful; or a mixture of 
one part chalk and two of alum wMl be still better. 

367 



368 KITCHEN. 

Washing Dishes. 
Dishes should always be rinsed in clear, hot water after having 
been washed in soap suds. Nothing is more unpleasant at the table 
than to notice a certain stickiness that the soap is likely to leave. 
It is necessary also from a sanitary point of view; the caustic alkali 
is corrosive and unwholesome, and the grease is often impure. 

Cleaisthstg Tinware. 
Do not set apart one day on which to clean your silver or scour 
your tinware; there is danger of its not being done at all. Have 
your cleaning material ready, and when you are " doing up " the 
dishes after each meal, clean and polish the silver or tin you have 
been using. This is a good habit to cultivate. 

To Make Hard Water Soft. 

Fill the wash-boiler or tank with hard water; then put half a cup 
of wood ashes into a woollen bag; cover this with cotton cloth to 
prevent ashes sifting out; let this lie in the water until that is 
warm enough to use. 

The Griddle. 

Rub your griddle with fine salt before you grease it, and your 
cake will not stick. 

When walnuts have been kept until the meat is too much dried 
to be good, let them stand in milk and water eight hours, dry 
them, and they will be as fresh as when new. 

Coal Ashes Good to Scour With. 
The fine, soft coal ashes which are found in the pipe in the 
Bpring, and which sift under the pan, will clean and brighten tin- 
ware. Take a piece of old flannel, dip lightly into soft soap, and 
rub, afterwards using a clean piece of flannel to polish with. 

How TO Triumph over Absent-Mindedness. 
Many of the difficulties arising from absent-mindedness in hired 
help may be removed if the mistress of the house has a habit of 



KITCHEN. 369 

making a regular programme for the day's work, A bit of personal 
experience may not be amiss. I had a girl who was one of the 
most obliging persons I ever saw, but she could not remember the 
common and usual order of the morning's work. Things were 
always going wrong, unless at just such an hour I appeared in the 
kitchen and directed that tlie vegetables be prepared for dinner, 
etc. At last we hit upon the plan of hanging a written programme 
of the work to be done, and the order in which it ought to bj done, 
over the sink. This worked so well that when without help I keep 
up the practice, for I confess to the fact that when I am out of the 
kitchen my mind is out of it too, and I have wasted some valuable 
time standing around in corners of the pantry and kitchen trying 
to reproduce the conditions which gave rise to thoughts of work 
that ought to be done; but with the help of the programme made 
out the night before, and changed as circumstances seem to require 
next morning, have been able to do many things which otherwise 
would have been forgotten, or remembered when it was too late or 
very inconvenient to do them. 

An Economical Crumb-Cloth, 

A red table-cloth that is too much faded to be used on the table 
makes a good crumb cloth. Starch it as stiff as you can easily, 
iron perfectly smooth, taking care to pull the edges straight and 
even, pin it to the carpet instead of tacking it, as then it will not 
be so much trouble to take it up, and you will wash it just as soon 
as it needs it. It will keep clean a long time, and, even if you can 
afford a handsome cloth, it is convenient to use this when the other 
is up to be cleaned. 

Scraping Kettles, 

A clam shell is more convenient for scraping kettles and frying 
pans than a knife. It does the work in less time. 

How TO KEEP Lamp Chimneys Clean. 
After the lamps are filled and the chimneys cleaned and put on 
the shelf, take pieces of newspaper and roll in the form of a chim- 

24 



370 KITCHEN. 

ney and slip over chimney and lamp. It will protect from dust and 
flies, and when the lamps are lighted one will be rewarded by find- 
ing them as clean and bright as when first put in order. 

How TO Stakt a Fire. 
Keep the kerosene can in the wood-house. If you have no kind- 
ling, and feel that oil must be used to start the fire, try this method: 
Take a small paper bag, pour a little oil into it, and run with it to 
the stove; in this way you can start a fire quickly without dropping 
oil on the floor, or endangering your life. It would be better not 
to use oil at all for this purpose. 

To Make Fire Kindlers. 
Take a quart of tar and three pounds of resin; melt them, bring 
to a cooling temperature, mix with as much coarse sawdust, with a 
little charcoal added, as can be worked in; spread out while hot 
upon a board. When cold, break up into lumps of the size of a 
hickory-nut, and you have, at a small expense, kindling material 
enough for a household for a year. 

How TO Polish a Stove Easily. 
If a little vinegar or some cider is mixed with stove polish it will 
not take much rubbing to make the stove bright, and the blacking 
is not likely to fly off in fine dust. 

How TO Use the Oil Stove. 
A few suggestions in regard to the use of the oil stove may be of 
value to some one who does not succeed well in using it. Com- 
plaints are frequently made that a meal can not be put hot upon 
the table if cooked on the single oil stove. My plan is this: If I 
am to get breakfast by it, the first thing is to boil the water for 
coffee, have the coffee in the pot, with some soft paper stuffed in 
the nose. When the water boils, pour a little on the coffee, cover 
closely, 'and set it one side. Then warm the potatoes; when thor- 
oughly cooked, cover them and set one side. If beefsteak is pre- 
ferred to cold meat, cook that; the stove being very hot, it will 



KITCHEN. 371 

cook quickly. Then as you take the steak off with one hand, 
with the other set the potatoes l)ack on the stove. While you are 
preparing the steak for the table, the potatoes will be getting hot; 
while taking them off, set the coffee-pot back on the stove. Of 
course, one must be very quick in her movements. Dinner may in 
the same way be put smoking on the table, and the housewife, cool 
and fresh, will enjoy the meal as well as any member of the family. 
Any one who keeps plants in a room where there is no fire at night, 
or in a bay window, may prevent their freezing by lighting the oil 
stove and placing it near them. Canned fruit and vegetables may, 
also, in this way be kept from freezing. One who has never tried 
it will be surprised to notice how much heat is given out. 

Blacking Stoves. 
Every woman owes it to her family as well as to herself to 
simplify her work as much as possible, and not to do things that 
are unnecessary; for instance, it is a waste of time and strength 
and blacking to black and polish the top of the kitchen stove after 
each meal is prepared; and yet thei-e are women who will be 
shocked to read this assertion. Other parts of the stove can be 
kept nice with very little trouble; and, if the top is kept clean till 
her fire is out for the day, that ought to satisfy the most pains- 
taking woman. A convenient arrangement for washing the top of 
a hot stove is to have a smooth, round stick, with a soft cloth tied 
securely to it. A cloth is better than a brush for cl^eaning corners. 

How TO Clean Mica. 
Every woman who has been obliged to spend half a day several 
times during the winter cleaning the mica in her coal stove, usually 
by taking them out and washing them in soap-suds, will rejoice to 
know there is a much easier way to clean them, and that there is no 
need to take them out or let the fire burn very low in order to do it 
successfully. Take a little vinegar and water and wash the mica 
carefully with a soft cloth; the acid removes all stains, and if a 
little pains is taken in cleaning the corners and in wiping them dry, 



372 KITCHEN. 

the mica will look as good as new. It is a great care to see that 
stoves are kept in pr, p;r order, and net many servants can be 
trusted to do it as it should bo done. The task might be made 
somewhat easier by choosin • stoves which are not too highly orna- 
mented. Unless the trimmings are kept absolutely spotless and 
bright, which is a very difficult thing to accomplish, they cannot 
lay the least claim to being ornamental; indeed, a stove which, by 
reason of its excessive decoration, is rendered the most prominent 
feature of the room, demanding attention the moment one enters, is 
certainly in bad taste. A clean, well-polished stove, with graceful 
shape, which fulfills the end of its being by heating the house, is all 
that a stove should be. The fire may be, as it has been called, the 
soul of the room, but it ought not to ask too much attention to its 
body. 

To Clean- Knives. 
Scrape at one end of the knife-board a little heap of Bath brick; 
rub on a piece of red flannel some yellow soap; lay the knife flat 
on the board; dip the soaped flannel in the brick-dust, and rub it on 
the knife. When clean, wash the knives in wai*m water, but be 
careful not to let it touch the handle. This method saves the 
knives as well as the labor of cleaning in the usual way. 

To Keep a Kitchen Table Clean. 
A cook should always keep a piece of oil cloth ready, to put her 
saucepans and stewpans on when necessary; the oil cloth can be so 
much more easily cleaned than the table. A few common straw 
mats are also very handy in a kitchen, to save the table from being 
soiled. 



CHAPTER XXXI. 

THE LAUNDRY. 

<^ To Clean Colored Fabrics. 

>V[EARLY all colored fabrics stain the suds used to clean them, 
,2^ and that withouj losing their own brightness in any way. 
^^ No article of a different color must be plunged into a rinse or 
wash so stained, but must have fresh ones; and no colored article 
must be rinsed in blued suds. Scarlet is particularly prone to color 
a wash. 

Different colors are improved by different substances being used 
in the wash or rinse; sugar of lead has the credit of fixing all colors 
when first cleaned, and may be used to those likely to run. To 
brighten colors, mix some ox-gall; but, of course, the quantity must 
be regulated by the quantity of suds in the wash and rinse. For 
buff and cream-colored alpaca or cashmere, mix in the wash and 
rinse some friar's balsam. For black materials, some ammonia. 
For violet, ammonia or a small quantity of soda in the rinsing 
water. There are some violets and mauves that fade in soda. For 
green, vinegar in the rinse, in the proportion to two tablespoonf uls 
to a quart of rinse. For blue, to one dress, a good handful of 
common salt in the rinse. For brown and grey, ox-gall. For 
white, blue the wash with laundry blue. 

Dresses, mantles, shawls, opera cloaks, underskirts, articles 
embroidered with silk, self-colored or chintz-colored damask cur- 
tains, moreen and other woollen curtaining, may all be cleaned as 
specified so far. Blankets should be cleaned in the same way. 
Pull them out well, whilst wet, at both sides and both ends, between 

373 



374 THE LAUNDRY. 

two persons. When half dry, it is a good plan to take them off 
the line, and pull them again; when quite dry just give them a 
little more pulling out. ThiS keeps them open and soft. Blankets 
are not blued so much as flannels, presently described. Never use 
soda to them, and never rinse them in plain water, or rub on soap. 
The dyers and cleaners have a mode of pressing articles which 
gives to many of them, such as damask and moreen curtaining and 
paisley shawls, a superior appearance to anything that can be 
achieved at home; but some of them will press articles at a fixed 
price for persons cleaning them at home. 

Muslin Dresses, 

Even of the most delicate colors, can be cleaned in ten minute* 
or a quarter of an hour, without losing their color. Melt half a 
pound of soap in a gallon of water, empty it in a washing tub; 
place near two large tubs of clean water, and stir into one a quart 
of bran. Put the muslin in the soap, turn it over and knead it for 
a few minutes; squeeze it out well, but do not wring it, lest it get 
torn; rinse it about quickly in the bran for a couple of minutes. 
Rinse again well for a couple of minutes in clean water. Squeeze 
out dry and hang it between two lines. A clear, dry day should be 
chosen to wash muslin dresses; half a dozen may be done this way 
in half an hour. The last rinse may be prepared the same way as^ 
the rinses for M'^oollen fabrics. A colored pattern on a white ground 
must not be blued. The bran may here be dispensed with. 

When the dress is dry, make the starch; for a colored musliu 
white starch, and unboiled, but made with boiling water, is best. 
Stir the starch with the end of a wax candle. Dip the dress. Hang 
it again to dry. When dry, rinse it quickly and thoroughly in 
clear water. Hang it to dry again. Sprinkle and roll it up; after- 
wards iron it with a very hot iron. Hot irons keep the starch stiff. 
This rinsing after starching is called clear-starching; none of the 
stiffness, but much of tlie unsightliness of the starch is removed in 
this way. 



THE LAUNDRY. 375 

All kinds of white muslins, lace curtains, cravats, etc, may be 
washed in a thick ley of soap as described, well rinsed, blued, and 
starched, like the muslin dresses above named. Use blue starch to 
white. Book muslin should be very slightly blued as blue-looking 
muslin is very unbecoming to the complexion; a slight creamy tinge 
is preferable^ 

Morning cambric dresses may be washed the same way as muslin 
dresses; but they do not generally clean so readily, and, perhaps, 
may need rubbing a little in places that are soiled. 

The advantage of thus cleaning dresses instead of washing them 
is, first, if colored, the pi'ocess is so rapid that there is not time for 
the colors to run. Secondly, the fabric is not rubbed, and there- 
fore not strained and worn out. Thirdly, the process saves nearly 
all labor, and is so quickly done, that any lady may manage it for 
herself in the absence of a laundry-maid. 

Many ladies make a strong solution of sugar of lead; stir it well 
when dissolved, and let the dress, muslin or cotton, soak a couple 
of hours to set the colors before washing it the first time. It does 
not need to be repeated. Those using sugar of lead should be care- 
ful not to do so if they have any scratches, abrasions, or wounds 
about their hands. 

Chintz may be cleaned the same way as muslin and print dresses. 

Laces. 

Laces of all kinds can, with a little care, be rendered equal to 
new. Make a strong solution of soap, as described for woollen 
materials. The laces may all be put in at once. Squeeze them in 
and out. They generally become free from dirt by once passing 
through. They may then be thoroughly rinsed, blued, and starched; 
but if at all discolored and bad looking, must first be boiled. Soap 
each article thoroughly all over; fill a basin or jar with water 
as blue as possible, and lumps of soda and soap; put the lace in 
the basin; put the basin in a saucepan of water just large enough 
to hold above by the rim (like a glue-pot), and put the saucepan 
lid on the basin. Boil two or three hours, taking care the water 



376 THE LAUNDRY. 

does not boil out of the saucepan and let it burn; if need be, 
replenish it; turn out the lace in the basin; rinse it well; blue it 
with the finest blue that can be procured, but not much; get a 
bottle of the best drawing gum in solution from an artists' 
colorraan (common liquid gum will not do); put a teaspoonful 
of this to a pint of water; stir it well; stiffen the laces in it; 
squeeze them dry; lay them on a clean dry towel; fold them up 
till most of the moisture is absorbed. While still dry, pin out each 
piece of lace by each point, stretching it equal to new, but not 
straining any part, on a cushion which has first been covered with a 
clean cloth. The right side of the lace should be up. Leave it till 
quite dry, which will probably not be till the next day. If it is 
Cluny lace with raised spots, take a pin and raise all the spots as it 
lies on the cushion. Remove all the pins, and pick out every part 
and corner of the lace with the fingers. If raised, raise it by draw- 
ing it over the thumb-nai!. Brussels lace and Ilonitqn lace look 
better ironed whilst a little damp, instead of being pinned out in 
this way. Arrange these, also, with the finger, both before and 
after ironing. Crochet may be pinned out, or left to dry; pulled 
out with the fingers only, or pulled out whilst still damp and 
ironed. It is, also, a matter of fancy whether it is starched or not. 

To Bleach Lace, Etc. 
After washing and boiling let it lie all day in excessively strong 
blue-water; lay it out all night on the grass to dry. Boil again 
with soap, without soda or blueing; rinse well. It must not, how- 
ever, be forgotten that too much soda turns linen, etc., yellow. 

To STirPEN- LiNIEN, 

Such as cuffs that require to be very firm, boil the starch after 
mixing it cold. Into a pint of starch drop a bit of white wax half 
the si.^e of a small hazle-nut and a teaspoonful of brandy. The 
spirit is to retain the stiffness and increase it, the wax to save the 
starch from sticking to the iron. When an iron sticks to starch, 
soap the bottom of the iron. 



THE LAUNDRY. 377 

To Clean Cloth. 
A contemporary recommends the following plan: Moisten a 
sponge with pure water, press it in a clean towel till it becomes 
nearly dry; then sponge, one place after the other, the cloth; all the 
dust will enter the sponge; wash the sponge afterwards with water. 
This method of cleaning wears cloth out less than brushing. Many 
spots also disappear with pure water. 

To Clean Black Silk. 
Take entirely to pieces the dress, jacket, etc., and well shake each 
piece; then spread over a table and over it spread a newspaper, or 
sheet of clean paper, and on it lay a breadth of the silk. Brush it 
well both sides with a fine soft brush — a hat-brush would very well 
answer the purpose. Shake it again; fold together in half, and 
place it on one side of the table. In the same manner shake, brush, 
and shake again, each piece of silk. Remove the paper, and place 
on the table a clean sheet. On the paper again place a breadth of 
the silk, and into a clean quart basin pour a half pint of cold wafer 
adding a half pint of good sweetened gin, which is better for the 
purpose than unsweetened, as the siigar stiffens the silk. These 
are the proportions for any quantity required. Have ready a piece 
of black crape, or black merino, about a half yard square; dip it 
well into the liquid, and thoroughly wash over the best side of the 
silk. Be careful that it be well cleaned, and, if possible, wash it 
from edge to edge, and wet it well all over. Then fold over the 
silk in half; then again, till the folds are the width of those of new 
silk. Place it in a clean towel, and clean each piece of the silk in 
the same manner, laying one piece on the other; and remembering 
by a mark which is the last piece done, as that must be the last 
ironed. Let the silk be folded in the towel till a large iron is well 
heated; but be careful that it is not too hot; try it first on paper, 
or a piece of old dampened silk. Use two irons. Open the towel 
when the iron is ready, and place the piece of silk that was first 
cleaned on an old table-cloth or sheet folded thick; iron the wrong 



378 THE LAUNDRY. 

side quickly, from edge to edg?, until dry. Fold the silk over 
lightly to tlie width of new silk, and place it on one end of the table 
till all are done. This simple process stiffens, cleans, and makes 
the silk look new. 

To Clean Black Merino, or any "Woollen Stuff. 
Purchase at a drug store two cents worth of carbonate of 
ammonia. Place it in a clean quart basin, and pour u])on it a pint 
of boiling water; cover it over with a clean plate, and let it stand 
till cold. Then proceed the same as directed for cleaning black 
silks. Gentlemen's clothes can thus be cleaned without taking to 
pieces, or ironing, unless quite convenient. Vests and coat collars 
are thus easily renovated, the color is revived, grease spots and 
white seams removed. 

To Renovate Crape. 
Brush the crape well with a soft brush, and hold tightly over a 
wide-mouthed jug of boiling water, gradually stretching it over the 
jog. If a strip of crape, it is very easily held tightly over the 
water, letting the portion done fall over the jug until all is com- 
pleted. The crape will become firm and fit for use, every mark 
and fold being removed. White or colored crape may be washed 
and pinned over a newspaper, or towel, on the outside of a bed, 
until dry. Crape that has been exposed to rain or damp — veils 
especially — may be saved from spoiling by being stretched tightly 
on the outside of the bed with pins, until dry; and no crape should 
be left to dry without having been pulled into proper shape. If 
black crape, lace, or net, is faded or tui'ned brown, it may be dipped 
into water, colored with the blue-bag, adding a lump of loaf sugar 
to stiffen, and pinned to a newspaper on a bed. 

Washing Clothes. 
If pipe clay is dissolved in the water, the linen is thoroughly 
cleaned with half the labor and a saving of one-fourth of soap; and 
the clothes will be improved in color equally as if bleached. The 
pipe clay softens the hardest water. 



THE LAUNDRY. 379 

Washing Chintzes. 
These should always be washed in dry weather" but if it is very 
cold, it is better to dry them' by the fire than risk spoilinoj the 
colors from freezing in the open air. It is better, if possible, to 
defer their washing till the weather is suitable. 

To Remove Spots of Wax. 
Place a piece of soft soap on each spot and warm it slightly 
before the fire, or in the sun (if hot). Wash the spot afterward 
with soft water, and it will disapj^ear. 

Another Recipe. 
Cover the spot with spirits of wine or turpentine, and rub the 
place gently with a soft i-ag. Continue the same process until the 
spot disappears. 

To Clean Carpets, 

When the carpet is well beaten and free from dust, lay it tightly 
down, and scrub it with soap, dissolved in soft water mixed with 
bullock's gall — about four gallons of water to a pint of gall. This 
will restore the colors of the carpet to their original brightness, and 
make it look almost like new. The brush employed should be of 
soft character, with long bristles. 

For Bleaching Cotton Cloth. 
One pound chloride of lime, dissolved and strained; put in two 
or three pails of water; thoroughly wet the cloth and leave it over 
night; then rinse well in two waters. This will also take out mil- 
dew, and is equally good for brown cotton or white that has become 
yellow from any cause, and will not injure the fabric. 

To Clean Ltgttt Kro Gloves. 
Mao^nesia, moist bread, and India rubber, are all of them good to 
clean light kid gloves. They should be rubbed on the gloves thor- 
oughly. If so mUch soiled that they cannot be cleaned, sew up the 
tops of the gloves, and rub them over with a sponge dipped in a 



380 THE LAUNDRY. 

decoction of saffron and water. The gloves will be yellow or 
brown, according to the strength of the decoction. 

To Clean White Silk Lace. 

The lace is stretched over small clean sjips of wood to keep it 
evenly spread out, laid over night in warm milk, to which a little 
soap has been added, rinsed in fresh water, laid for the same length 
of time in warm soap-lye, and finally rinsed without any friction. 
Linen lace is best cleaned by covering the outside of a large glass 
bottle smoothly with stout linen or white flannel, upon which the 
lace is sewn in a number of coils, and over the whole some coarse 
open tissue is secured. The bottle thus dressed is allowed to soak 
for a time in lukewarm soft water, and the outside wrapping is then 
rubbed with soap and a piece of flannel. After this the bottle is 
laid to steep for some hours in clean soft water. It is then rolled 
between dry towels, dipped in rice water, and rolled again. Finally 
the damp lace is unfastened from the bottle and ironed between 
linen cloths. 

Starch Polish. 

White wax, one ounce; spermaceti, two ounces; melt them 
together with a gentle heat. When you have prepared a sufficient 
amount of starch, in the usual way, for a dozen' pieces — put into it 
a piece of the polish the size of a large pea; more or less, according 
■to large or small washings. Or, thick gum solution (made by 
pouring boiling water upon gum arable), one tablespoonful to a pint 
of starch, gives clothes a beautiful gloss. 

Washing Fluid. 
Dissolve in a gallon of bot water one pound of concentrated lye, 
one-half ounce salts of tartar, one-half ounce liquid ammonia; when 
cool, bottle for use. Soak the clothes over night; wring out and 
add a cup of the fluid to a boiler of water; put in the clothes and 
boil one hour; rub them as much as is necessary, and rinse well in 
two waters, with a little bluing in the last. But little rubbing is 
Becessary, and this method will certainly save clothes, time, and 



THE LAUNDRY. 381 

labor. Lace curtains may be washed in the same way. Starch 
them and press out ail that is possible in a towel; pin sheets on the 
carpet; spread out the curtains carefully, shaping every scallop on 
the sheets; pin them in place and leave them until dry. 

Gem Washing Fluid. 
One pound salsoda, one ounce borax, one ounce salts of tartar, 
one ounce ammonia, three quarts of rain watei*. Put the rain water 
over the fire, then put in the salsoda, borax, and salts of tartar. Do 
not put in the ammonia until it gets cold. Put one cup into the 
boiler when you boil your clothes. 

Hard Soap. 
It is a simple matter to make hard soap, which is not only agree-^ 
able to use, but which has the great merit of cleanliness. To seven 
pounds of tallow use three pounds of I'osin, two pounds of potash, 
and six gallons of water; boil for three hours, or, better still, for 
five; turn from a kettle into a wash-tub; let it stand all night. In 
the morning cut into bars, and lay them on a table or board in the 
sun to harden for two or three days. This quantity will last a 
family of four persons a year, if used for ordinary household 
purposes. 

Soft Soap. 

Take six gallons of soft or rain water, add three pounds of best 
hard soap (cut fine), one pound salsoda, four tablespoonfuls of 
hartshorn; boil the whole till perfectly dissolved; pour into vessels, 
and when cold it is fit for use. This makes fifty pounds of fine 
jelly soap. 

How TO Wash Flannels. 

There are many conflicting theories in regard to the proper way 
to wash flannels, but I am convinced, from careful observation, that 
the true way is to wash them in water in which you can comfort- 
ably bear your hand. Make suds before putting the flannels in, 
and do not rub soap on the flannel. I make it a rule to have only 
one piece of flannel put in the tub at a time. Wash in two suds if 



382 THE LAUNDRY. 

much soiled; then rinse thorouglily in clean, weak suds, wring and 
hang up; but do not take flannels out of warm water and hang out 
in a freezing air, as that certainly tends to shrink them. It is 
better to dry them in the house, unless the sun shines. In washing 
worsted goods, such as men's pantaloons, pursue the same course; 
only do not wring them, but hang them up and let them drain; 
while a little damp, bring in and press smoothly with as hot an iron 
as you can use without scorching the goods. The reason for not 
wringing them is to prevent wrinkles. 

How TO Keep Black Gloves from Crocking, 
Black cotton gloves will not crock the hands if scalded in salt 
and water before wearing. The salt prevents fading. When 
almost dry, one should put them on, in order to stretch them and 
keep them in good shape. 

Some one may wish to know how to wash a linen duster in such 
a way that it will not look faded. All old colored linen should be 
washed in lukewarm water. If there are any grease spots, use a 
little hard soap, or, better still, remove them with benzine. Rinse 
thoroughly in water in which a third of a cup of salt has been dis- 
solved; the last water must be very blue, and a small handful of 
starch put in. Hang in a shady place; and, as soon as the duster is 
dry, take it down, so that the wind will not blow the starch out. 
If damj^ened with warm water, it will soon be ready to iron. 

To Remove Scorches, 

Spread over the cloth a paste made of the juice pressed from two 
onions, one-fourth ounce white soap, two ounces fuller's earth, and 
one-half pint vinegar. Mix, boil well, and cook before using. 

Washing Towels. 

Towels with handsome, bright boi'ders should never be boiled, 
or allowed to lie in very hot water; they should not be used till 
they are so much soiled that they need vigorous rubbing to 
make them clean. It is better economy to use more towels than 



THE LAUNDRY. 383 

to wear out a few in a short time. A gentle rubbing in two suds, 
and then conscientious rinsing in warm water and then in cold, 
ought to be all that is required. 

How TO DO UP Shirt Bosoms. 

"Take two ounces of line white gum arabic powder; put it in a 
pitcher and pour on a pint or more of boiling water, according to 
the degree of strength you desire, and then, having covered it, let 
it stand all night. In the morning pour it carefully from the dregs 
into a clean bottle, cork, and keep it for use. A tablespoonful of 
gum water stirred in a pint of starch, made in the usual manner, 
will give to lawn, either white or printed, a look of newness, when 
nothing else can restore them after they have been washed." 

If your flat-irons are rough and smoky, lay a little fine salt on a 
flat surface and rub them well; it will prevent them from sticking 
to anything starched, and make them smooth. 



CHAPTER XXXII.- 

SEWING ROOM. 

Saving Thread. 
HEN raveling out a fringe on mats or tidies made of Java or 
W^ honeycomb canvas, save the threads. You may use them to 
feather-stitch bands of white cotton cloth for trimming. 
They are serviceable on children's underwear, at the top of Ham- 
burg ruffles, and will last longer than insertion. 

Window Shades. 
Scarlet holland shades, trimmed aci-oss the ends with antique lace, 
are very pretty and serviceable for a dining-room, giving a soft 
and warm light to the room. 

Scrap-Bags. 

It is a good plan to have pretty scrap-bags in sitting-room, bed- 
room, and dining-room, and to hang one near the sewing-machine. 
They may be ornamental, and are certainly useful. Since trying 
this I have saved paper rags enough to buy all the new tin-ware 
needed in the house, and have occasionally bought a broom also. 

Every bit of cloth, every postal-card and circular, that would 
otherwise have been put into the stove as not being worth the 
trouble of a walk to the regular rag-bag, finds its way into the little 
8crap-bag. 

It is a good plan to keep your different kinds of pieces, tape, 
thread, etc., in separate bags, and there is no time lost looking for 
them. 

Pretty bags are made of perforated paper, with a simple vine 

384 



SEWING ROOM. 385 

t 

worked around the top, thef bottom of the bag being of silk or 

merino, and the top finished with a c-rocheted scallop; or they may- 
be made of Java canvas, with wire around the top to keep it in 
shape; a piece of old hoopskirt may be used for this purpose. 

Sewixg ox BbTTOxa. 

When sewing buttons on children's clothes where there will be 
much strain on the button, the danger of tearing the cloth out will 
be greatly lessened by putting a small button directly u..der the 
larger outside button. This applies, of course, only to buttons with 
holes through them. 

Marking Handkerchiefs. 

A plain hem-stitched pocket-handkerchief can be ornamented 
prettily by putting a row of feather-stitching, in white or colored 
working cotton, just above the hem. This is a good way to mark 
handkerchiefs for the wash, providing, of course, that the washing 
is done at home. 

Table Covers. 

Simple and tasteful table covers for bed-rooms may be made of 
pale blue Canton flannel, trimmed with antique lace, or with velvet 
ribbons feather-stitched on, and finished with fringe made of blue 
split zephyr or Shetland wool. Table covers made of blocks of 
cretonne are very handsome. If two or three persons wish to make 
them, they can buy the materials to better advantage. Let each 
one get several kinds of cretonne, a quarter of a yard of each kind; 
then they can arrange to have each block different. Stitch the 
blocks on a lining made of unbleached cotton or of colored cam- 
bric. Then, when the blocks are joined, sew on narrow braid, 
which can be bought at any furniture store, or use narrow black 
velvet, worked in fancy stitches, or common black dress braid, 
feather-stitched with canary-colored silk. When cutting out the 
blocks, if a little care is exercised in placing the pattern on the 
cloth, strips will be left with a suitable figure which can be sewed 

25 



886 SEWING ROOM. 

• 
together to make a lambrequin. Have the strips about five inches 

wide. One thing should be thought of when beginning to do fancy- 
work, and that is, if you have not time to do it well, do not under- 
take it; it cannot be slighted or hurried over without entirely- 
spoiling the effect. In making the spread, unless the blocks are 
exactly square, and the edges not stretched, your spread will not 
hang well on the table. 

Taking Care of Stockings. 
Before the children's stockings begin to be thin at the knees and 
to need darning, put a piece of cloth under and sew with fine 
stitches, so that they will not show. Soft flannel, or pieces of old 
stockings which are strong enough to be worth using, are better 
than any heavier cloth. By taking the trouble to do this, the 
stockings can be made to last twice as long as without it. 

Putting atvat Stockixgs. 
When putting av/ay summer stockings, see that they are clean 
and whole. It is a great comfort to find them ready for use in the 
spring. Have a calico or cambric bag to hold the stockings of each 
member of the family. Label each one, in order to save time, and 
not be obliged to look into each to find the ones you wish to use. 
In summer keep the winter stockings in them; 

To Preser\t3 Old Stockings. 
Pale blue stockings which have faded can have the color restored 
by dipping them into hot water in which common bluing has been 
poured, and some lumps of alum dissolved. Old white stockings 
can be colored in this way, and do a good deal of service. 

Home-made Work-Baskets. 
Pretty little work-baskets may be made of — what do you think? 
the paper pails used to carry oysters home from the market in ! I 
saw one a few days ago; it was lined with pale pink silk, the soft 
silk used for linings. The silk was turned over the outer edge and 
shin-ed around it. The wire handle was taken off, and a narrow 



SEWING ROOM. 387 

strip of canvas used in place of it. This was covered with silk 
and ornamented with a tiny bow. On each side of the pail was 
pasted a pretty picture. One would not guess of what the basket 
was made. 

Harmonious Color Contrasts. 
The following list of harmonizing colors will be found very useful 
in selecting wall decorations or colors for any purpose. Red with 
green, blue with orange, yellow with violet, black with warm 
brown, violet with pale green, violet with light rose, deep blue with 
golden brown, chocolate with light blue, deep red with gray, 
maroon with warm green, deep blue with pink, chocolate with pea 
green, maroon with deep blue, claret with buff, black with warm 
green. 



CHAPTER XXXIII. 

DYEING, ETC. 

VERYTHIISTG should be clean. The goods should be scoured 
in soap and the soap rinsed out. They are often steeped in 
soap lye over night. Dip them into water just before putting 
them into preparations, to prevent spotting. Soft water should be 
used, sufficient to cover the goods well — this is always understood 
where quantity is not mentioned. When goods are d^'ed, air, rinse 
well, and hang up to dry. Do not wring silk or merino dresses^ 
when scouring or dyeing them. If cotton goods are to be dyed a 
light color, they should first be bleached. 

Silks. 

Black. — Make a weak dye as for black on woollens; work goods 
in bichromate of potash a little below boiling heat, then dip in the 
logwood in same way; if colored in blue vitriol dye, use about 
same heat. 

Brown on Silk or Cotton — Very Beautiful. — After obtain- 
ing a blue color as above, run goods through a solution of prussiate 
of potash, one ounce, to water, one gallon. 

Crimson. — For one pound goods — alum, three ounces; dip at 
hand heat one hour; take out and drain while making new dye by 
boiling ten minutes, cochineal, three ounces, bruised nut-gall(?, two 
ounces, and cream of tartar, one-fourth ounce, in one pail of water; 
when little cool, begin to dip, raising heat to boil; dip one hour; 
wash and dry. 
^ GREEaf — Very Handsome. — For one pound goods — yellow oak 

388 



DYEING, ETC. 389 

bar]:, eight ounces; boil onc-lialf hour; turn off liquor from bark 
and add alum, six ounces; let stand until cold; while making this, 
color goods in blue-dye-tub a light blue; dry and wash; dip in the 
alum and bark dye. If it does not take well, warm the dye a 

littL". 

Light Blue. — For cold Avater, one gallon, dissolve alum, one-half 
tablespoonful, in hot water, one cup, and add to it, then add chemic, 
one teaspoonful at a time to obtain the desired color — the more 
chemic, darker the color. 

Old Gold, — Take green horse-radish leaves, steep them in water 
and make a strong dye. After dipping the silk or satin into the 
dye thoroughly, wash in soft soap-suds. Iron while damp, laying 
a cloth over the silk or ribbon. This should always be done when 
ironing silk or ribbon, even if it has not been washed, but simply 
sponged. Black silk may be sponged with cold coffee and 
ammonia. 

Orange. — For one pound goods— annotto, one pound; soda, one 
pound; repeat as desired. 

Purple. — For one pound goods. First obtain a light blue, by 
dipping in home-made dye-tub; then dry; dip in alum, four ounces, 
with water to cover when little warm. If color is not full enough, 
add chemic, 

Sk\ Blue on Silk or Cotton — Very Beautiful. — Give goods 
as much color from a solution of blue vitriol, two ounces, to water, 
one gallon, as it will take up in dipping fifteen minutes, then run it 
through lime water. This will make a beautiful and durable sky 
blue. 

Yellow. — For one pound goods — alum, three ounces; sugar of 
lead, three-fourths ounce; immerse goods in solution over night; 
take out; drain and make a new dye with fustic, one pound; dip 
until required color is obtained. 



390 DYEING, ETC. 

Woollen Goods. 

Blue — Quick Process, — For two pounds goods — alum, five 
ounces; cream of tartar, three ounces; boil goods in this one hour, 
then put goods into warm water which has more or less extract of 
indigo in it, according to the depth of color desired, and boil again 
until it suits, adding more of the blue if needed. 

Chrome Black — Best in Use. — For five pounds goods — blue 
vitriol, six ounces; boil a few minutes, then dip goods three-fourths 
hour, airing often; take out goods, make a dye with three pounds 
logwood, boil one-half hour; dip three-fourths hour and air goods, 
and dip three-fourths hour more. Wash in strong suds. I'his will 
not fade by exposure to sun. 

Green. — For each pound of goods — jfustic, one pound, with alum 
three and one-half ounces; steep until strength is out, and soak 
goods until a good yellow is obtained; then remove the chips and 
add extract of indigo or chemic, one tablespoonful at a time, until 
color suits. 

Madder Red. — To each pound of goods — alum, five ounces; red, 
or cream of tartar, one ounce. Put in goods and bring kettle to a 
boil for one-half hour, then air them and boil one-half hour longer; 
empty kettle and fill with clean water; put in bran one peck; make 
it milk-warm, and let it stand until bran rises, then skim off the 
"bran and put in u»ne-half pound madder; put in goods and heat 
slowly until it boils and is done. Wash in strong suds. 

Orange. — For five pounds goods — muriate of tin, six tablespoon- 
fuls; argal, four ounces; boil and dip one hour, and add again tO' 
the dye one cup madder; dip again one-half hour. Cochineal, 
about two ounces, in place of madder, makes a much brighter 
coloi*. 

Pink. — For three pounds goods — alum, three ounces; boil and 
dip the goods one hour; then add to tha dye, cream of tartar, four 
ounces; cochineal, well pulverized, one ounce; boil well and dip the 
goods while boiling until the color suits. 



DYEING, ETC. 391 

Scarlet — Very Fine. — For one pound goods — cream of tartar, 
one-half ounce, cochineal, well pulverized, one-half ounce, muriate 
of tin, two and one-half ounces; boil up the dye and enter the 
goods; work them briskly for ten or fifteen minutes, then boil one 
and one-half hours, stirring goods slowly while boiling. Wash in 
clear water and dry in the shade. 

Snuff Brown — Dark. — For five pounds of goods — camwood one 
pound; boil it fifteen minutes, then dip goods for three-fourths hour; 
take out goods, add to the dye, two and one-half pounds fustic; boil 
ten minutes and dip goods three-fourths hour; then add blue vitriol 
one ounce, copperas four ounces; dip again one-half hour. If not 
dark enough ; add more copperas. 

Another Method — Any Shade. — Boil goods in a mordant of 
alum two parts, copperas, three parts; then rinse them through a 
bath of madder. The tint depends on the relative proportions of 
the copperas and alum; the more copperas the darker the dye. 
Joint weight of both should not be more than one-eighth of weight 
of goods. Mixtures of reds and yellows with blues and blacks, or 
simple dyes, will liiilis any shade. 

Wnr2 Color. — For five pounds goods — camwood, two pounds; 
boil fifteen minutes, and dip goods one-half hour; boil again and 
dip one-half hour; then darken with l>lue vitriol one and one-half 
ounces; if not dark enough, add copperas, one-half ounce. 

Crimson. — Work for one hour in a bath with one pound cochi- 
neal paste; six ounces dry cochineal; one pound tartar; one pint 
protochloride of tin. Wash out and dry. 

Dove and Slate Colors of all Shades. — Boil in iron vessel a 
cup of black tea with teaspoonfuls of copperas, and sufficient water. 
Dilute till you get the shade wanted. 

Purple. — For each pound goods: — two ounces cudbear; rinse 
goods well in soap suds, then dissolve cudbear in hot suds — not 
quite boiling — and soak the goods until of required color. The 
color is brightened by rinsing in alum water. 



392 DYEING, ETC. 

Sal-mox. — For eacli pouiul goo l^ — one-fourth pound annotto; 
one-fourth p<jiiiicl soap; rinsj goaJi in warm water, put them into 
mixture and boil one-half hour. Shade will be according to amount 
of annotto. 

Yellow — Rich. — Work five pounds goods one-half hour in a 
boiling bath with throe ounces bichromate of potassa and two 
ounces alum; lift and expose till well cooled and drained, then 
work ona-half hour in another bath with five pounds fustic. Wash 
out and dry. 

Cotton Goods. 

Bl.vciv. — For five pounds goods — boil them in a decoction of 
three pounds sumac one-half hour, and steep twelve hours; dip in 
lim^ water one-half hour; take out and let them drip one hour; run 
them through the lime water again fifteen minutes. Make a new 
dye with two and one-half pounds logwood (boiled one hour), and 
dip again three hours; add bichromate potash, two ounces, to the 
logwood dye and dip one hour. Wa'^h in clear cold water and dry 
in shade. Only process for permanent black. 

Green. — Dip goods in home-made blue; dye until blue enough 
is obtained to make the green as dark as required; take out, dry 
and rinse a little. Make a dye with fustic, three pounds, logwood, 
three ounces to each pound goods, by boiling dye one hour; when 
cooled so as to bear hand, put in goods, move briskly few minutes, 
and let lie one hour; take out and thoroughly drain; dissolve and 
add to the dye for each pound of cotton, blue vitrei, one half ounce, 
and dip another hour. Wring out and let dry in the shade. By 
adding or diminishing the logwood and fustic, any shade may be 
had. 

Orange. — For five pounds goods — sugar of lead, four ounces; 
boll few minutes; when a little cool, put in goods; dip two hours; 
wring out; make a new dj'^e with bichromate })otash, eight ounces; 
madder, two ounces; dip until it suits; if color is too red, take 
small sample and dip into lime water and choose between them. 



DYEING, ETC. 393 

Red. — Muriate of tin, two-thirds cup; add water to cover goods; 
raise to boiling heat; put in goods one hour; stir often; take out, 
empty kettle, put in clean water with nicwood, one pound, steep 
one-half hour at hand heat; then put in goods and increase lieat 
one hour — not boiling. Air goods and dip one hour as before. 
Wash without soap. 

Sky Blue. — For three pounds goods — blue vitrol, four ounces; 
boil few minutes, then dip goods three hours; then pass theiu 
through strong lime water. A beautiful brown can be obtained by 
next putting goods through a solution of prussiate of potash. 

Yellow. — For five pounds of goods — seven ounces sugar of lead; 
dip goods two hours; make new dye with bichromate of potash, 
four ounces; dip until color suits; wring out and dry. If not yellow 
enough, repeat. 

Coloring Cotton Carpet Rags. 

Blue, — For five pounds of cloth, take five ounces of copperas, 
with two pails of water in a tin or copper boiler; set it over the 
fire till the copperas is dissolved and it begins to heat, then put in 
the cloth, stirring it frequently till it boils, one-half or three-fourths 
of an hour; then remove the cloth where it can drain; pour away 
the copperas water and take two ounces of prussiate of potash in 
about two pails of water in the same vessel; when it is well dis- 
solved and hot, put in the cloth from the copperas water, stirring 
it thoroughly till it boils, one-half an hour, then remove the cloth; 
add (with care and caution, on account of the spattering which 
ensues) one tablespoonful of oil of vitrol, and stir it well in the 
dye; replace the cloth, stirring it briskly till it has boiled one-half 
an hour. Should be well rinsed and washed in clear water to pre- 
vent the dye from making it tender after coloring. 

Yellow. — For five pounds of cloth dissolve one-half pound of 
sugar of lead in a tub of warm water and twelve ounces of bichro- 
mate of potash m another tub of cold water; soak, rinse, and wring 



394 DYEING, ETC. 

the cloth in the lead water first, then in the other, and return from 
one to the other, till the right shade of color is obtained. 

Orange, — Dip the yellow colored cloth into strong lime water; 
if it should not turn, boil it; rinse all well. 

Green. — Put your blue cloth in the yellow dye in the same 
manner as for coloring yellow. Old calico will take a darker shade 
of blue or green in the same dye with the white cloth. 

To Remote Stains. 

We shall commence by dealing with the most common stains, 
namely: 

Ink Stains in Woollen Table-Covers and Carpets may be 
removed by washing the spots with a mixture of a teaspoonful of 
oxalic acid in a cup of warm water, after which the places must be 
rinsed with clean cold water to take out the acid. 

Anopher Method. — Pour milk upon the ink directly and rub it 
with a damp flannel; repeat until the ink disappears. Then wash 
with flannel and water, and rub dry. When milk is at hand, place 
a plate under the ink spot and pour milk on the ink. Allow it to 
lie in the milk, and when removed from the table, if not free from 
ink, dip it in a cup or basin of inilk and rinse in cold water. 

To Remove Ink Stains from Floors or Mahogany. — Rub on 
with a cork a little spirits of wine, and wash it off with water. 

To Remove Stains of Port Wine. — Wet the stain with sherry 
or bleaching liquid. 

To Remove Mildew. — Wash in bleaching liquid. 

Stains in Silk. — Stains in colored silk dresses can often be 
removed by pure water. 

Acid, Tea, Wine, and Other Stains. — Stains caused by acids, 
tea, or fruits, can often be removed by spirits of hartshorn, diluted 
with an equal quantity of water. To remove tar, pitch, or turpen- 
tine the spot may be saturated with sweet oil, or a little tallow may 



DYEING, ETC. 395 

be spread upon it, after which it must remain for twenty-four 
hours. If the article is of linen or cotton, it must be washed in 
the usual way; but if silk or worsted, it is to be rubbed with ether 
or spirits of wine. Pure spirits of turpentine will remove recent 
spots of oil-paint by rubbing. Wax and spermaceti sliould be 
scraped oif and the places where they have been should be rubbed 
with spirits of wine, spirits of turpentine, or mephuric ether. 
Grease spots can commonly be taken out of silk by means of French 
chalk as follows: Scrape a little chalk i;pon the spot and place 
underneath a warm iron or water plate filled with boiling water. 
The heat melts the grease, which is absorbed by the chalk and it 
can "be removed by rubbing or brushing. It maybe needful to 
repeat the process. A very good stain mixture is made with half 
an ounce of salts of tartar, half an ounce of sal-ammonia and half a 
pint of soft water. Places to which this is applied should be 
washed afterward in clean water. The mixture of oxalic acid and 
water above described will remove ink stains and iron mould from 
linen and calico. The article must be wetted with it and held over 
the steam of hot water, after which it must be washed with pure 
water. If necessary the process may be repeated; but it must be 
noted that the preparation is highly poisonous. 

Staixs Caused by Scorching. — For whitening scorched linen, 
it is often sufficient to wet it with soap-suds, and lay it in the hot 
sun. Another method, where milk is plentiful, is to put one pound 
of white soap into a gallon of milk and boil the scorched article in 
it. Another plan is to squeeze out the juice of two middle-sized 
onions, which is boiled in half a pint of vinegar, with one ounce of 
white soap and two ounces of fuller's earth; the mixture is applied 
cool to the scorched part, and when dry, washed off with pure 
water. 

How TO Restore Stained and Discolored Muslins. — Dis- 
colored muslins may be whitened if they are laid in a flat dish with 
suds made of white soap, and set out in the sun. This takes time 
and the suds have to be renewed daily. In the country, away from 



396 DYEING, ETC. 

the smoke of towns, white linen may be bleached by being wetted 
with soap-suds and spread out upon the grass in the sun. 

Stains Caused by Mildew. — Mildew is removed in several 
ways from linen. Some dip the article in sour buttermilk, lay it in 
the sun to whiten, and then wash in clean water. Others apply 
soap and chalk, or soap and starch, adding half as much salt as 
there is starch, and the juice of a lemon. 

Linen. — Stains in linen can often be removed by rubbing them 
with soft soap, after which a starch paste is put on and the articles 
are dried in the sun. This process may need to be repeated several 
times. The soap and starch are to be washed off with pure cold 
water. 

Stains on Mahogany, Etc. — The marks made by cups of hot 
water on varnished tables may be takcm out with a little oil which 
must be rubbed on, after which a little spirits of wine must be also 
rubbed in. A teaspoonful of oil of vitriol in a tablespoonful of 
water, or the mixture of oxalic acid and water, above described, 
will take ink stains out of mahogany. The application is to be 
made quickly with a brush, or piece of flannel, and then washed off 
with milk. 

Silver and Electro-plate Stains. — The obstinate dark stains 
upon silver and electro-plate may almost always be removed by 
means of a little diluted sulphuric acid. Pour the acid into a 
saucer, and, with a linen cloth Avetted in it, rub the stain till it is 
gone. The article should afterwards be treated to a coat of fine 
whitening and spirits of wine. Let this remain on for half an 
hour; then wipe it off with a silk cloth and polish with soft wash- 
leather or a plate-brush. 

To Take Ink Stains from Mahogany. — Oil of vitriol with 
water, in the proportion of about one of the former to two of the 
latter, may be used for this purpose. Dip a feather into it, just 
touch the stains with the end of the feather, and at once rub it 
quickly off. In most cases the ink stains will be removed with it; 



DYEING, ETC. 397 

if this, however, should not be the case, repeat the process. If the 
vitriol is not at once removed, there is a probability of its merely- 
substituting one defect for another — a white mark for a dark stain. 

Oil Stains. — Oil stains in floors and carpets may be treated with 
a paste made of fuller's earth and water, which will have to be 
applied several times. If this paste is applied to colored textures, 
the addition of a little ox-gall witll preserve the colors from injury. 
The paste, when dry, can be removed with a brush. 



CHAPTER XXXIV. 



ODDS AND ENDS. 

fllow TO Protect the Dress. 
ADIES who do their own work will find that, in addition to a 
-^ long apron, a pair of calico sleeves, with a rubber cord at 
/9^ the to[), is a dispenser of happiness. One can slip them on 
over cuffs and nice dress sleeves, get tea, and even wash the tea 
dishes, without injuring the dress. 

PrrTTrjrG Up Cuetains. 

When putting up curtains, which are draped, in a low room, put 
the cornice to which the curtain ia^to be fastened close to the ceiling, 
even if the window is put lower down, as it gives the effect of 
greater height to the room. The curtains meeting at the top will 
conceal the wall. 

Window Gardens. 

Pretty window gardens may be made by taking the tin boxes in 
•which mackerel is put up, paint them green or scarlet, and put in 
some plants that grow well together. When watering them do not 
use more water than will be absorbed during the day. A few 
experiments will soon enable one to judge correctly in regard to 
the amount, and it is surprising to see how the plants will thrive in 
utter defiance of all the wise things that are said about drainage. 
The tin or zinc cases in which thread is packed will also, when 
painted and placed in a stand, make very good window gardens. 
Water in which gridiron and frying-pan have been washed is an 
•excellent fertilizer. 

398 



ODDS AND ENDS. 399 

To Keep Boys and Girls at Home. 
An excellent and well-iried recipe for keeping boys and girls out 
of mischief in the long winter evenings is to give them something 
suitable and interesting to do. Set them to making scrap-books. 
If there are two or three children, let each one take a subject, and 
see what and how much each can collect upon that for his book. 
For example, we have what we call an "Animal Scrap-Book," in 
which is pasted every fact, incident, and anecdote we can find 
relating to animals. We have a dog department, a horse depart- 
ment, etc. It is a valuable book for purposes of illustration or 
reference. ' 

Lining Stair Carpets. 

It is a common practice to use bits of old carpet as a lining for 
stair carpets, but a much better way is to take strips of an old bed- 
quilt, have them not quite the width of the staircase, wash and dry 
first, then put smoothly over the stairs, tacking in a few places. It 
is softer than old carpet, and will not wear the outer one nearly so 
much. Of course this is a hint for those who cannot afford the 
nice linings that are made on purpose. 

Putting Away Woollen Clothes. 
Great care must be exercised in putting away winter clothes. 
Clean paper sacks, or old cotton or linen pillow cases, will do to 
hold them, providing there are no holes in them. Take the gar- 
ments that are to be laid away out doors on a summer day, let 
them hang on a line for several hours, brush and beat all the dust 
out, then put into the bags; tie them up so that no moth can get 
in, then lay them on clean, dry shelves, or hang them up. 

Pretty and Simple Ornaments. 

A pretty decoration for the corner of a room is a bunch of ripe 

wheat tied with a bright ribbon; or divide the wheat across the 

stems, tie, and hang over a picture. The beauty of common things 

is now fully established; cat's-tails, sunflowers, and dandelions are 



400 ODDS AND ENDS. 

at length appreciated. Acorns may also be used to good advantage 
for trimming fancy baskets for waste paper; take a piece of wire 
and fasten around the stems, and you can arrange them in any way 
to suit yourself. They are pretty bronzed, or may be used in the 
state of nature, as they were picked up in the woods. To bronze 
them, get a little bronze powdered at a drug store, mix it with 
varnish, and apply with a soft cloth. The powder must be used 
very quickly after mixing with tlie varnish, or that will harden so 
that it will be impossible to use it. 

How TO Make an Old Japanese Umbrella Useful. 
Shut it partly together, then put a wire around the top, tie a 
ribbon to the handle, and use it for a scrap-bag or a waste-paper 
bag. 

To Remove Paint and Putty from Window Glass. 

Put sufficient pearl ash into hot water, to make a strong solution; 
then saturate the paint which is daubed on the glass with it. 
Let it remain till nearly dry, then rub it off hard, with a woollen 
cloth. Pearl ash water is also good to remove putty before it is 
dried on the glass. If it dries on, yhiting is good to remove it. 

To Preserve Natural Flotteus. 
Dip the flowers in melted paraffine, withdrawing them quickly. 
The liquid should be only just hot enough to maintain its fluidity, 
and the flowers should be dipped one at a time, held by the stalks 
and moved about for an instant to get rid of air bubbles. Fresh- 
cut flowers, free from moistui-e, make excellent specimens in this 

way. > 

Eggs — To Preserve for Winter Use. 

For every three gallons of water, put one pint fresh slaked lime, 

and common salt, one-half pint; mix well, and let the barrel be 

about half full of this fluid, then with a dish let down your fresh 

feggs into it, tipping the dish after it fills with water, so they roll 

dut witi.out cracking the shell, for if the shell is cracked the egg 

Will Spoil. 



ODDS AND ENDS. 401 

Charcoal for Flowers. 
It is an ascertained fact that powdered charcoal, placed around 
rose bushes and other flowers, has the effect of adding much to 
their richness. 

To Revive Gilt Frames. 

Take white of eggs, two ounces; chloride of plaster or soda, one 
ounce; mix well; blow the dust from the frame, and apply with a 
soft brush. , 

Floor-cloths. 

Do not put carpets in your closets; oil cloth or matting is much 
better, and can be easily kept free from dust. Matting after being 
swept should be wiped with a damp cloth. Hot salt and water will 
thoroughly cleanse it and will not discolor it. 

To Pot Butter for Winter Use. 

Mix a large spoonful of salt, a tablespoonf ul of powdered white 
sugar, and one of saltpetre. Work this quantity into six pounds of 
fresh made butter; put the butfeer into a stone pot, that is thor- 
oughly cleansed. When you have finished putting down your 
butter, cover it with a layer of salt, and let it remain covered until 
cold weather. 

To Prevent Rust. 

To prevent metals from rusting, melt together three parts of lard 
and one of rosin, and apply a very thin coating. It will preserve 
Russia iron stoves and grates from rusting during summer, even in 
damp situations. The effect is equally good on brass, copper, steel, 
etc. The same compound forms an excellent water-proof paste for 
leather. Boots, when treated with it, will soon after take the usual 
polish, when blacked, and the soles may be saturated with it. 

Paste. 
How many little things are left unmended for the want of some 
ready-made paste in the house. Liquid glue is often not strong 
enough to hold thick material together; but dextrine answers all pur- 

26 



402 ODDS AND ENDS. 

poses. It is very cheap, is mixed with cold water, and keeps better 
than paste till next wanted. Keeping some of the powder in the 
house and a special pot or jar for mixing, will be found most 
convenient. It can be made thick or thin, to suit what it is 
required for. 

French Polish, 

Boil in a quart of liquid, consisting of two parts of vinegar, and 
one part of water, one-fourth pound of glue and the same quantity 
of logwood chips, with about the sixth part of an ounce of the 
following ingredients: Soft soap, isinglass, and finely-powdered 
indigo. When boiled for a quarter of an hour it should be strained 
off, and when cold be fit for use. It should be applied with a 
piece of soft rag or sponge, the shoes being quite dry and free 
from dirt. 

To Preserve Steel Articles from Rust. 

Paint the articles over with white beeswax dissolved in benzole. 
The benzole rapidly evaporates, leaving the steel covered with a 
thin coating of the M^ax. As the solution is very volatile it should 
be kept in a bottle tightly corked. 

To Preserve Flowers. 
Take a jar sufficiently large to contain the flower to be preserved, 
and in the bottom place a lump of clay or some similar substance 
in which the flower must be stuck upright. Then pour in carefully 
fine dry sand till the flower is completely embedded in it. This 
must be done very slowly and cautiously so as not to disturb the 
leaves of the flower. Dried in this way, flowers preserve their 
form and much of their color for months, and are interesting and 
pretty for the winter decoration of rooms. 

Incombustible Dresses, 

Ladies' dresses, even of the lightest and most inflammable nature, 

may be rendered almost completely fire-proof by being dipped in a 

solution of the chloride of zinc. When they are thus treated, it 

will be found almost impossible to make them blaze by contact 



ODDS AND ENDS. 403 

with flame; or either of the following will answer the same pur- 
pose: 

Dissolve half an ounce of alum or sal-ammoniac, and mix it with, 
the water in which the dress is rinsed. 

Half the weight of whiting mixed with the starch will render 
lace, net, muslin gauze, or any other light stuff, perfectly unin- 
flammable. 

Home-Made Table Sykup. 

Take one pint and a half of water, four pounds of sugar, one 
teaspoonful of pulverized alum, put in a kettle and boil three 
minutes. Strain while hot. For maple syrup, one quart of water 
for four pounds of sugar. 

The Chromograph. 

The copygraph, chromograph, and a variety of other names have 
been given to the simple arrangement by which letters, drawings, 
plans, music, etc., can be copied at a slight cost. The process has 
been patented in England, but in advance of any patent in this 
country, a number of persons have made the article and advertised 
it for sale at prices varying from three dollars to seven dollars and 
fifty cents, according to size, in either case allowing very handsome 
profits. A tablet of gelatine is prepared thus: Take one part by 
weight of gelatine (glue will do just as well), soak in two parts of 
water till melted, to which add four parts of glycerine, with a few 
drops of carbolic acid, and sufficient whiting or white lead to give 
the whole a milky appearance. Pour the mixture into a shallow 
zinc or tin dish, and it will be ready for use in about twelve hours. 
The use of the whiting or white lead is to show up the writing on 
the composition, and to enable the washing off to be observed more 
easily. The ink used is made of one part violet methylated aniline 
(Hoffman's purple), seven parts distilled water, and one part alcohol; 
"but acetic rosaniline, boiled down in alcohol till it does not run in 
writing, forms a capital red ink. To use the process, write on a 
hard-finished* paper with the ink, taking care that the writing is 



404 ODDS AND ENDS. 

thick enough to show a green lustre when dry. When thoroughly 
dry place it face downwards on the jelly, rub it gently to bring it 
well into contact, and leave for three minutes, then peel it off. It 
will leave a portion of the ink neatly transferred to the jelly; then 
place the paper to be printed on the writing and pass the hand 
over, bring it well in contact as before, peel it off, and it will bring 
away a perfect copy of the original. In this way sixty to eighty 
copies may be made; by using a thick pen and plenty of ink one 
hundred good copies may be taken. If the original still shows a 
green lustre, another transfer may be made. When exhausted, wash 
off the ink from the jelly with a sponge and cold water. A layer of 
the compound one-quarter of an inch thick would give five thousand 
copies at least, if not twice that number. If the jelly is injured it 
can easily be melted down over a spirit lamp or in an oven. After 
melting, and in the first instance after making, the surface should 
be washed with cold water. 

Lime Water. 

One of the most useful agents of household economy, if rightly 
■understood, is lime water. Its mode of preparation is as follows: 
Put a stone of fresh unslacked lime about the size of a half-peck 
measure into a large stone jar or unpainted pail, and pour over it 
slowly and carefully (so as not to slacken too rapidly), a teakettle 
full (four gallons) of hot water, and stir thoroughly; let it settle,. 
and then stir again two or three times in twenty-four hours. Then 
"bottle carefully, all that can be poured off in a clear and limpid 
state. 

Uses. — It is often sold by druggists as a remedy for children's 
summer complaints, a teaspoonful being a dose in a cup of milk,, 
and when diarrhoea is caused by acidity of the stomach, it is an 
excellent remedy, and when put into milk gives no unpleasant taste, 
"but rather improves the flavor. 

When put into milk that might curdle when heated, it will pre- 
vent its so doing, and can then be used for puddings ^nd pies. A 



ODDS AND ENDS. 405 

little stirred into cream or milk, after a hot day or night, will pre- 
vent its turning when used for tea or coffee. 

It is unequalled in cleansing bottles or small milk vessels, or 
babies' nursing bottles, as it sweetens and purifies withuut leaving 
an unpleasant odor or flavor. 

A cupful, or even more, mixed in the sponge of bread or cakes 
made over night, will prevent it from souring. 

Preserving Autumn Leaves. 

These may be easily preserved and retain their natural tints, or 
nearly so, by either of the following methods: As they are gath- 
ered they may be laid between the leaves of a magazine until the 
book is full, and left with a light weight upon them until the mois- 
ture of the leaves has been absorbed; two or three thicknesses of 
paper should intervene between the leaves. If the leaves are large 
or in clusters, take newspapers, lay them on a shelf and use in the 
same manner as above. Then dip the leaves into melted wax (such 
as is used for moulding fruits, etc.), into which you will have to 
put a few drops of turpentine and lay upon newspapers to harden 
perfectly. This will make the leaves pliable and natural, and give 
sufficient gloss. Great care should be taken that the wax is of the 
right temperature. This can be ascertained by the first leaf which 
is dipped in. Draw out gently over the pan both sides of the leaf 
and hold it up by the stem. If the wax is too hot, the leaf will 
shrivel — if too cool, it will harden in lumps on the leaf. 

Another method is to iron each leaf with a middling hot iron 
until the moisture is all out of them. Are best without varnish. 

Skeleton Leaves. 
Boil the leaves in equal parts of rain water and soft soap until 
you can separate the pulp from the skin; take them out into clear 
water; lay the leaf to be cleaned on glass, the upper side of the 
leaf next to the glass; then with a tooth brush remove all pulp and 
skin, turn the leaf and repeat the process; when thoroughly done 
put the leaf to bleach in this solution: One pound sal soda, dis- 



406 ODDS AND ENDS. 

solved in five pints rain water; one-half pound chloride of lime, in 
three pints water; allow twenty-four hours for the latter to dissolve. 
Strain out the sediment, and pour out the clear solution of lime into 
the solution of sal soda. The result will be a thick buttermilk 
solution, otherwise the lime was not strong enough. Filter this 
until it is perfectly clear. For leaves, use one part of solu- 
tion to one part of water; for ferns, use the solution full 
strength. When perfectly white, remove zj clear water; let 
stand for several hours, changing two or three times; the 
last water should be a little blue; float out on paper, press in 
books when nearly dry. In mounting use mucilage made of five 
parts of gum arable, three parts white sugar, two parts of starch; 
add a very little water, boil and stir until thick and white. 

To Restore Frozen Plants. 
As soon as discovered, pour cold water over the plant wetting 
every leaf thoroughly. In a few moments it will be crystallized 
with a thick coating of ice. In this state place it in the dark, care- 
fully covered with a newspaper. The ice will slowly melt, leaving 
the plant in its original state of health. 

For Crystallizing Grass. 
Take one and one-half pounds of rock alum, pour on three pints 
of boiling water; when quite cool put into a wide-mouthed vessel, 
hang in your grasses, a few at a time. Do not let them get too 
heavy, or the stems will not support them. You may again heat 
alum and add more grasses. By adding a little coloring it will 
give variety. 

Frosting for Windows. 

To shut out a disagreeable view from a back window, the glass 
may be rendered ornamental, and the obnoxious objects shut out^ 
by a very simple plan, which makes a fair imitation of ground glass. 
By washing the glass over with a hot saturated solution of Epsom 
salts, or sal-ammoniac, or Glauber's salts, or blue stone, very beau- 
tiful effects of crystallization can be obtained by which the above 



ODDS AND ENDS. 407 

purpose is served and tlie window has also a very ornamental 
appearance. By a saturated solution is meant one containing as 
much of the salt as the water will dissolve. The solution must be 
applied while hot and with a brush. 

Black Tracing Paper. 

Rub smooth a little lampblack and mix with sweet oil. Paint 
over the paper, and dab it dry with a fine piece of linen. Put this 
under the pattern, and upon the material to which you wish the 
pattern transferred, and go over the lines with a hard point of 
wood or metal. If you wish it, the transferred lines may be fixed 
by using a pen with a kind of ink composed of a little stone-blue 
well mixed with water in a cup, with a small piece of sugar added 
to it. 

Sympathetic Ink. 

One of the best known kinds of sympathetic ink consists of a weak 
solution of chloride or nitrate of cobalt. Writing executed with 
such a solution is invisible until warmed, when it appears green or 
bluish, disappearing on exposure to moist air. 

Valuable Cement. 

Two parts, by weight, of common pitch, and one part gutta 
percha, melted together in an iron vessel, makes a cement that 
holds together, with wonderful tenacity, wood, stone, ivory, leather, 
porcelain, silk, woollen, or cotton. It is well adapted to aquariums. 

Cement for Rubber or Leather. 

Dissolve one ounce of gutta percha in one-half pound chloro- 
form. Clean the parts to be cemented, cover each with the solu- 
tion and let them dry twenty or thirty minutes, warm each part in 
the flame of the candle, and press very firmly together till dry. 

Diamond Cement. 

Dissolve thirteen ounces of white glue in a glue-pot containing a 
pint and a half of soft water; when the glue is dissolved, stir in 



408 ODDS AND ENDS. 

three ounces of white lead, and boil till well mixed; remove from 
the fire, and, when cool, add half a pint of alcohol; bottle imme- 
diately and keep well corked. 

Weights and Measuees. 
Ten eggs are equal to one pound. 

One pound of brown sugar, one pound of white sugar, pow- 
dered or loaf sugar broken, is equal to one quart. 

One pound of butter, when soft, is equal to one quart. 

One pound and two ounces Indian meal is equal to one quart. 

One pound and two ounces of wheat flour is equal to one quart. 

Four large tablespoons are equal to one-half gill. 

Eight large tablespoons are equal to one gill. 

Sixteen large tablespoons are equal to one-half pint. 

A common-sized wineglass holds half a gill. 

A common-sized tumbler holds half a pint. 

Four ordinary teacups of liquid are equal to one quart. 



CHAPTER XXXV. 



THE SICK R;00M. 



'E find the following excellent article in Common Sense in the 
^f^ Household : 

" The sick chamber should be the most quiet and cheerful 
in the house — a sacred isle, past which the waves of domestic toil 
and solicitude glide silently. This is not an easy rule to obey. 
Whoever the invalid may be, whether the mother, father, or the 
sweet youngling of the flock, the foundations of the household seem 
thrown out of course while the sickness lasts. You may have good 
servants and kind friends to aid you, but the hitch in the machinery 
is not to be smoothed out by their efforts. The irregulai'ity does 
not annoy you; you do not notice it if the attack be severe or 
dangerous. All other thoughts are swallowed up in the all-absorb- 
ing, ever-present alarm. You count nothing an inconvenience that 
can bring present relief, or possible healing to the beloved one; 
disdain for yourself, rest or ease while the shadow hangs above the 
pillow crushed by the helpless head. But when it passes, when the 
first transport of thankfulness has subsided into an abiding sense of 
safety, the mind swings back to the accustomed pivot, and your 
eyes seem to be suddenly unbound. You find, with dismay, that 
the children have run wild, and the comfort of the whole family 
has been neglected during your confinement to the post of most 
urgent duty; with displeasure, that the servants have, as you con- 
sider, taken advantage of your situation to omit this task, or slur 
over that — in fine, that nothing has been done well, and so many 

409 



410 ODDS AND ENDS. 

things left altogether undone, that you are worried out of your 
senses — a phase that too often signifies out of your temper. 

"And it is just at this juncture — when you are called to fifty 
points at once, and are on the verge of despair at the conglomera- 
tion worse conglomerated arising before you; fidgeting to pick 
up dropped stitches in the web you were wont to keep so even — 
that the invalid becomes most exacting. ' Unreasonable,' you name 
it to yourself, even though it be John himself who calls upon you 
every third minute for some little office of loving kindness; who 
wants to be amused, and fed, and petted, made generally comfort- 
able, as if he were a six-months-old baby; who never remembers 
that you must be wearied out with watching and anxiety, and that 
everything below-stairs is going to destruction for the want of a 
balance-wheel. The better he loves you the more apt is he to fancy 
that nobody but you can do anything for him; the more cei'tain to 
crave something which no one else knows how to prepare. And 
when you have strained muscle and patience a little further to get 
it ready, and with prudent foi'ethought made enough to last for 
several meals, it is more than probable that his fickle taste will 
suggest something entirely different for 'next time.' 'Just for a 
change, you know, dear. One gets so tired of eating the same 
thing so often! ' 

" He might be more considerate — less childish — you think, turn- 
ing away that he may not see your change of countenance. When 
you have taken so much pains to suit him exactly! It is harder yet 
when he refuses to do more than taste the delicacy you hoped would 
tempt him. 

" 'It is very nice, I suppose, my love,' says the poor fellow, with 
the air of a martyr, ' but it does not taste right, somehow. May be 
the children can dispose of it. If I had a lemon ice, or some wine 
jelly, such as my mother used to make, I am sure I could relish it. 
I always did detest sick people's diet! ' 

" If he is very much shaken as to nerves, he will be likely to say, 
* messes.' 



ODDS AND ENES. 411 

"*I am fairly wild!' said a loving wife and mother and thrifty 
housekeeper to me one day, when I called to see her. 

"She had just nursed her husband and three children through 
the influenza. All had been down with it at once. That form of 
demoniacal possession is generally conducted on the wholesale 
principle. 

" ' I am fairly Avild!' said the worthy creature, with tears in her 
eyes. ' I cannot snatch a minute, from morning until night, to put 
things straight, and yet I am almost tii'ed to death! I was saying 
to myself as you came in, that I wouldn't try any longer; I would 
just sit still until the dirt was piled up to my chin, and then I would 
get upon the table ! ' 

" How often I have thought of her speech since, sometimes with 
a smile — ^moi'e frequently with a sigh. But with all my pity for 
the nurse and housekeeper, I cannot conceal from myself — I»would 
not forget, nor let you forget for a moment — the truth that the 
sick one is the greater sufferer. It is never pleasant to be laid 
upon the shelf. The resting-place — falsely so-called — is hard and 
narrow and uneven enough, even when the tramp of the outer 
world does not jar the sore and faded frame; when there is no 
apparent need for the sick person to be upon his feet, and for aught 
that others can see, or he can say, he might just as well stay where 
he is for a month or two. But when, the rack of pain having been 
removed, the dulled perceptions of the mind re-awaken to sensitive- 
ness, and there comes to his ear the bugle-call of duty — sharp, 
imperative; — when eveiy idle moment speaks to him of a slain 
opportunity, and the no longer strong man shakes his fetters with 
piteous cries against fate, do not despise or be impatient with him. 
He is feverish and'inconsiderate and capricious, because he is not 
himself. You see only the poor wreck left by the demon as he tore 
his way out of him at the divine command. Gather it up lovingly 
in your arms and nurse it back to strength and comeliness. The 
sick should always be the chief object of thought and care with all 
in the household. If need be, let the dirt lie chin-deep everywhere 



412 ODDS AND ENDS. 

else, so long as it is kept out of that one room. There be jealous 
in your care that nothing offend sight or smell. 

" There should be no smell in a sick-room. To avoid this, let in 
the air freely and often. Cologne water will not dispel a foul 
odor, and disinfectants are noisome in themselves. Bathe the 
patient as frequently and thoroughly as prudence will allow, and 
change his clothing with the bed-linen, every day. Do not keep 
the medicines where he can see them, nor even let him witness the 
mixing of that which he is to swallow. As soon as his meals are 
over, remove every vestige of them from the room. Even a soiled 
spoon, lying on table or bureau, may offend his fastidious appetite. 
Cover the stand or waiter from which he eats with a spotless nap- 
kin, and serve his food in your daintiest ware. 

*' My heart softens almost to tearfulness when I recall the hours, 
days, weeks, I have spent in the chamber of languishing, and the 
ingenuity of tenderness that, from my babyhood, has striven to 
cheat the imprisonment of weariness, and make me forget pain and 
uselessness. The pretty sur])rises daily invented for my entertain- 
ment; the exceeding nicety with which they were set out before 
me; the loving words that nourished my spirits when the body was 
faint unto death, — these are events, not slight incidents, in the book 
of memory. When I cease to be grateful for them, or to learn 
from them how to minister unto others of the like consolation, may 
my heart forget to beat, my right hand lose her cunning. 

" Do not ask your charge what he would like to eat to-day. He 
will, of a surety, sicken with the effort at selection, and say, 
'Nothing,' But watch attentively for the slightest intimation of a 
desire for any particular delicacy, and if you are assured it cannot 
hurt him, procure it, if you can, without letting him guess at your 
intention. Feed him lightly and often, never bring inore into his 
sight than he can safely eat. A big bowl of broth or jelly will 
either tempt him to imprudence, or discourage him. ' Am I to be 
burdened with all that? ' cries the affrighted stomach, and will have 
none of it. While he is very weak feed him with your own hand. 



THE SICK ROOM. 429 

playfully, as you would a child, talking cheerily of something 
besides his food, and coaxing him into taking the needed nutriment 
as only a wife and mother can, or as nobody but John could beguile 
you to effort in the same direction, 

" Study all pleasant and soothing arts to while away the time, 
and keep worry of every kind away from him. A trifle at which 
you can laugh will be a burden to» the enfeebled mind and body, 
and he has nothing to do but lie still and roll it over until it swells 
into a mountain. When he can be removed without danger, let 
him have his meals in another room, changing the air of each when 
he is not in it. Every one who has suffered from long sickness 
knows the peculiar loathing attendant upon the idea that all food 
is tainted with the atmosphere of the chamber in which it is served, 
and if eaten in bed tastes of the mattrass and pillows. The room 
and all in it may be clean, fresh, and sweet, but fancy cannot be 
dismissed. And it is wiser to humor than to reason with most sick 
fancies. 

"A hired nurse is a useful, often a necessary thing, but while 
you are upon your feet, and mistress of your own house, delegate 
to no one the precious task of catering for the dear sufferer. It is 
an art in itself. I hope a practical knowledge of it will be taught 
iu Women's Medical Colleges, when they are an established ' insti- 
tution' with us." 

Panada. 

Two thick slices of stale bread half an inch in thickness; cut off 
the crust, toast them a nice brown, cut them into squares of two 
inches in size, lay them in a bowl, sprinkle a little salt over them, 
and pour on a pint of boiling water. 

Arrow-Root Jelly. 

One cup boiling water, two heaping teaspoonfuls of best Bei-muda 
arrow-root, one teaspoonful lemon-juice, and two teaspoonfuls white 
sugar. Wet the arrow-root in a little cold water, and rub smooth. 
Then stir into the hot water, which should be on the fire and 



430 THE SICK ROOM. 

actually boiling at the time, with the sugar already melted into it. 
Stir until clear, boiling steadily all the while, and add the lemon- 
juice. Wet a cup in cold water, and pour in the jelly to form. 
Eat cold with sugar and cream, flavored with rosewater. 

Beef Tea. 

Cut all the fat from a pound 9f fresh beef, then cut the lean meat 
into small dice-like pieces; add one pint of cold water to draw out 
the juices; boil twenty or thirty minutes, skimming it carefully, 
then strain, and salt to taste. 

Another, better for the very sick, or for weak stomachs: Put the 
cut beef, prepared as above, into a wide-mouthed bottle, cork it so 
no water can enter; place it in a kettle of cold water; prop it so 
that it will stand firmly, and boil one hour; then set the kettle 
aside to cool. When cold, you can safely remove the bottle, and 
you have the simple juice or essence of beef. 

Beef Tea, No. 2. 
To one pound of lean beef add one and one-half tumblers of cold 
water; cut the beef in small pieces, cover and let it boil slowly for 
ten minutes, and add a little salt after it is boiled. Excellent. 

CiiiCKEisr Panada, 
Skin the chicken and cut it iip into joints; take all the meat off 
the bones, and cut up into small pieces; put it into a jar with a 
little salt, tie it down, and set it in a saucepan of boiling water. It 
should boil from four to six hours; then pass it through a sieve 
with a little of the broth. It could be made in a hurry in two 
hours, but it is better when longer time is allowed. Do not put 
the wings in the panada. 

Egg Cream. 

Beat a raw egg to a stiff froth; add a tablespoonful of white 

sugar, and half a glass of h(5me-made blackberry or black cherry 

wine; beat well; add half a glass of cream; beat thoroughly and 

xise at once. This is a full meal for an invalid, and is especially 



THE SICK ROOM. 431 

good where trouble of throat, mouth or stomach prevents solid 
food being used. 

Soup for an Invalid. 

Cut in small pieces one pound of beef or mutton, or a part of 
both; boil it gently in two quarts of water; take ofiE the scum, and, 
when reduced to a pint, strain it. Season with a little salt, and 
take a teacupful at a time. 

Gruel. 

Mix a tablespoonful of corn meal with a little cold water; add a 
small pinch of salt, and stir it smoothly into a pint of boiling water, 
and let it boil; being constantly stirred for six or eight minutes. 
If sugar is desired, put it in with the cold meal and water, but add 
any flavor, as nutmeg or cinnamon, after removing it from the 
stove. Gruel should be very smooth, and should not have the 
faintest suspicion of a scorch about it. Always serve it neatly. 

Egg Gruel. 
Boil eggs from one to three hours until hard enough to grate; 
then boil new milk and thicken with the egg, and add a little salt. 
Excellent in case of nausea. 

Gruel for Infants. 
To make a gruel for infants suffering from marasmus, take one 
pint of goat's milk and the yolks of two eggs boiled sufficiently 
hard to reduce to an impalpable powder; add a pint of boiling 
water, a little salt or sugar, and administer by a nursing bottle. 

Beef Jelly for Invalids. 
Three small onions, three small or one and one-half large carrots, 
a few whole cloves and black pepper, one small teaspoonful of 
sugar, one slice of ham, two calf's feet, one and one-half pounds of 
beef. Put in the onions and other ingredients in succession. Place 
the ham on top, then the calf's feet, and lastly the beef; no water; 
put on the side of the range, and let is stand until reduced to a soft 
mass, then add a quart of water and let it boil one hour; strain and 
let stand until cold, then take off the fat. Use by dissolving a 
little in hot water. 



u 



CHAPTER XXXVI. 

HEALTH ITEMS. 

Receipt for Cold. 

®\NE pound of liverwort put into four quarts of water and boiled 

down to one quart; add, while warm, a quarter pound of ball 

liquorice and a quarter ^^ound of loaf sugar; when cool add a 

half pint of gin. Dose — half a large wineglass half an hour before 

each meal. 

Cough Mixture. 

Two ounces of gum arable, one ounce of paregoric elixir, two 
ounces of sugar, juice of one lemon; mix with six glasses of hot 
water. One wineglass to be taken morning, noon, and night. 

To Remove "Warts. 
A daily application of either of the three following remedies is 
effective in dispersing warts; Touch 'the wart with a little nitrate 
of silver (lunar caustic) ; or with nitric acid or aromatic vinegar. 
The lunar caustic produces a black, and the nitric acid a yellow 
stain, which passes off in a short time; the vinegar scarcely dis- 
colors the skill. Sparks of frictional electricity, repeated daily, by 
applying the warts to the conductor of an electrical machine, have 
been also successfully employed as a cure for these troublesome 
and unsightly excrescences. 

To Prevetstt Nail Growing into the Toe. 
If the nail of your toe be hard, and apt to grow round, and into 
the corners of your toe, take a piece of broken glass and scrape the 
top very thin; do this whenever you cut your nails, and, by con- 

432 



HEALTH ITEMS. 433 

stant use, it makes the corners fly up and grow flat, so that it is 
impossible they should give you any pain. Do not fail to try this. 

To Prevent the Nightmare. 

To prevent the nightmore, mix together ten grains carbonate of 
soda, three drachms compound tincture of cardamoms, one drachm 
simple syrup, and one ounce peppermint water. Repeat for several 
nights in succession; afterwards use for a few weeks the tonic 
aromatic mixture. Also a little Cayenne in scullcap tea will pre- 
vent an attack. Those who are habitually subject to nightmare 
should not sleep in a room alone, but have some person near them 
to arouse them when attacked with it. A person is most liable to 
nightmare when sleeping on his back; in fact, it rarely occurs in 
any other posture. Those subject to it should therefore avoid 
sleeping in a bed which is hollow in the center, as this induces the 
sleeper to lie on his back. The bed should be level and not too 
soft, and the pillow moderate in thickness, so that the head is not 
raised too high. 

The Use of a Raw Egg. 

How often we hear women who do their own work say that by 
the time they have prepared a m(^al, and it is ready for the table, 
they are too tired to eat! One way to mitigate this evil is to take, 
about half an hour before dinner, a raw egg, beat it until light, put 
in a little sugar, flavor it, and drink it down. It will remove the 
faint, tired-out feeling, and will not spoil your appetite for dinner. 
Plenty of fresh air in the kitchen does a good deal to relieve this 
trouble, and you do not then take your dinner in " at the pores," as 
Dickens's old Joey declared he took in the wine. 
How TO Make a Sand-Bag. 

Get some clean, fine sand, dry it thoroughly in a kettle on the 
stove. Make a bag about eight inches square of flannel, fill it with 
the dry sand, sewing the opening carefully together, and cover the 
bag with cotton or linen cloth. This will prevent the sand from 
sifting out, and will also enable you to heat the bag quickly by 



434 HEALTH ITEMS. 

placing it in the oven, or even on the top of the stove. After once 
using this no one will ever attempt to warm the feet and hands of 
a sick person with a bottle of hot water or a brick. The sand holds 
the heat a long time, and the bag can be tucked up to the back 
without hurting one. It is a good plan to make two or three of 
these bags, and keep them ready for use. Children with toothache 
can be put to sleep many a time with one. 

Worm Remedy. 
One of the simplest and best remedies to be given to children, if 
they are troubled with worms, is poplar bark. A well-known phy- 
sician has used this for years with marked success. It can be 
bought at any drug store, and a little paper, costing five cents, will 
often prevent sickness, and possibly save a large doctor's bill. If a 
child looks white around the mouth, with flushed cheeks and bad 
breath, it is safe to- infer that he is afilicted with worms. Take a 
little pinch of the bark, about as much as one would naturally take up 
on the point of a penknife, and give it before breakfast; it has a clean, 
bitter taste, and there is no difficulty in getting a child to take it if 
you explain M^hat it is for. A good way to regulate a child's 
stomach and bowels is to give him a little bowl of oatmeal and 
milk evwy day, for breakfast or dinner; see that it is well salted, 
as salt promotes digestion. The ailments of a child who is in a 
normal condition almost always proceeds from the stomach, and 
much may be done for our children by paying some attention to 
their diet, and so avoid giving medicine as much as possible. 

Sleep as a Medicine. 
A physician says that the cry for rest has always been louder 
than the cry for food. Not that it is more important, but it is often 
harder to obtain. The best rest comes from sound sleep. Of two 
men or women otherwise equal, the one who sleeps the better 
will be the more healthy and efficient. Sleep will do much to cure 
il-ritability of temper, iDcevdshness, and uneasiness. It will restore 
vigor to an over-worked brain. It will build up and make strong a 



HEALTH ITEMS. 435 

-weak body. It will cure a headache. It will cure a broken spirit. 
It will cure sorrow. Indeed, we might make a long list of nervous 
and other maladies that sleep will cure. The cure of sleeplessness 
requires a clean, good bed, sufficient exercise to promote weariness, 
pleasant occupation, good air, and not too warm a room, a clear 
conscience, an avoidance of stimulants and narcotics. For those 
who are over-worked, haggard, nervous, who pass sleepless nights, 
we commend the adoption of such habits as will secure sleep. 

New Cure for Wounds. 
As soon as a wound is inflicted, get a little stick — a knife or a 
file-handle will do — and commence to tap lightly on the wound. 
Do not stop for the hurt, but continue until it bleeds freely and 
becomes perfectly numb. When this point is reached you are safe 
— all that is necessary is to protect it from dirt. Do not stop short 
of the bleeding and the numbness, and do not on any account close 
the opening with plaster. Nothing more than a little cerate on a 
clean cloth is necessary. We have used and seen this used on all 
kinds of simple punctures for thirty years, and never knew a single 
instance of a wound becoming inflamed or sore after treatment as 
above. Among other cases: A coal -rake tooth going entirely 
through the foot, a bad bite of a sucking pig, several instances of 
file-shanks through the hands, and numberless cases of rusty nails, 
awls, etc., but we never knew a failure of this treatment. 

A Mustard Plaster. 
How many people are there who really know how to make a 
mustard plaster ? Not one in a hundred at the most, perhaps, and 
yet mustard plasters ai'e used in every family, and physicians pre- 
scribe the application. The ordinary way is to mix the mustard 
with water, tempering it with a little flour. Such a plaster as this 
makes is abominable. Before it has half done its work it begins to 
blister the patient, and leaves him finally with a flayed, painful 
spot, after producing far less effect in a beneficial way than was 
intended. Now, a mustard plaster should never blister at all. M 



436 HEALTH ITEMS. 

a blister is wanted, there are other plasters far better than mustard 
plasters. Then use no water, but mix the mustard with the white 
of an egg, and the result will be a plaster that will " draw " per- 
fectly, but will not produce a blister on the skin of an infant, no 
matter how long it is allowed to remain on the part. 

A Cure for Diphtheria. 
Dr. Chenery, of Boston, has lately discovered that hyposulphite 
of soda is the specific remedy against diphtheria — that so much 
dreaded ailment, which of late years has carried off many valuable 
lives. He reports a very large number of cases (one hundred and 
fifty within his own practice) saved by the use of this remedy. 
The dose of the hyposulphite is from five to fifteen grains or more 
in syrup, every two to four hours, according to age and circum- 
stances. It can do no harm, but if too much is given it will purge; 
as much as the patient can bear without purging is a good rule in 
the severer cases. The solution or mixture can be used in doses of 
five drops to half a drachm in milk. 

Bilious Headache. 
Dissolve and drink two teaspoonfuls of finely-powdered charcoal 
in one-half a tumbler of water. It will relieve in fifteen minutes;, 
take a Seidlitz powder one hour afterward. 

A Remedy for Cold Feet. 
Every night on going to bed, dip the feet in shallow, cold water, 
two or three times quickly, then rub briskly with a coarse towel till 
dry; then take hold of each end of the towel and draw it back and 
forth through the hollow of the foot until a glow is excited. 

The Opium Habit. 
An eminent New York physician writes to the Sun that the only 
sure cure for the opium habit is in "tapering off," diminishing each 
dose by infinitesimal deductions, so that the system may adapt 
itself to the change. He cured himself in this manner, and has 
discovered that many of the advertised remedies proceed on the 



HEALTH ITEMS. 437 

same principle. His habit was to put thirty grains of morphine in 
an eight ounce bottle, and take a teaspoonful of the mixture, con- 
taining one grain of morphine, four times a day. In his next bottle 
he put but twenty-nine grains, in the next but twenty-eight, and so 
on. The change was very gradual, and caused no shock to the 
system; and the habit never returned. 

Antidotes for Poison. 

Soda, salt, vinegar, chalk, raw eggs, mustard, sweet oil, soap, and 
milk, are powerful remedies for poisons, and are in every house. 
Send for a doctor, but do not wait for doctor or druggist; go to 
work. If the poison is an alkali, vinegar is a remedy. Freely 
drinking of new milk, continuing to drink even when the stomach 
returns the milk, will destroy even arsenic poisoning. 

If sulphuric or oxalic acid has been taken, swallow a quantity of 
chalk; the whites of raw eggs stirred up and swallowed, taking six, 
eight or more successively as fast as possible, will destroy poisons, 
as corrosive sublimate; mustard, stirred in soft water and freely 
drunk, will cause vomiting and destroy poison. Any kind of oil, 
as olive, linseed or common lard oil, will also destroy poison. 

Phosphorus, as when children suck matches, give a tablespoonful 
of magnesia and then freely gum arable water; less magnesia if 
only a little phosphorus is taken. 

Opium, as laudanum poisoning, needs a strong emetic; a table- 
spoonful of mustard in a glass of warm water, or a half teaspoonful 
of powdered alum in as little water or coffee as will carry it down, 
and repeat the dose. 

Strychnine also demands a very quick emetic, as above, or a heavy 
dose of ipecac. Opium poison needs also friction, fanning, shak- 
ing, cold water on the head, and all efforts to arouse the patient. 

Nitrate of silver needs warm salt water until a free vomit. 

Ammonia taken raw by accident; give new milk, olive oil, in ice 
bits, bind ice on the throat. 

Sugar of lead needs lemon-juice, vinegar, raw tomatoes, and 
finally a good dose of Epsom salts. 



438 HEALTH ITEMS. 

Prussic acid, or fruit-stone poisoning, demands a good emetic, 
and administer freely ammonia and water. 

Antimony is corrected by very strong green tea, and alum water. 

After all these remedies, empty the stomach by a clear, Avarm- 
water emetic, and keep the patient in bed on a raw-egg diet for 
thirty hours. 

External Use of Castor Oil. 

The London Medical Journal gives reports from various prac- 
titioners who have found purgative resiilts follow the inunction of 
castor oil. One writer states that he has frequently applied this oil 
to the abdomen, under spongiopiline or other waterproof material, 
in cases where the usual way of adniinisteriug by the mouth seemed 
undesirable, and with the most satisfactory consequences. In a case 
of typhoid fever, also, half an ounce of castor oil was applied in 
this manner, under a hot water fomentation, the effect of this being- 
as represented, to relieve the constipation and tympanitic distention 
that had been present, without undue purging or irritation of the 
bowels. 

Treatment of the Supposed Drowned. 

Dr. Benjamin Howard, in a lecture delivered before the British 
Medical Association on the " Direct Method of Artificial Respira- 
tion for the Treatment of the Supposed Drowned," gives some very 
useful hints for this emergency. Dr. Howard, finding that the 
directions recommended by the Royal Humane Society worked 
unsatisfactorily, were in many respects difficult for other than 
medical men to follow out and required the co-operation of at least 
two persons, investigated the whole question of the treatment of 
the apparently drowned, and sets forth his objections to the whole 
system, and his arguments in favor of that proposed by himself. 
His rules are short and simple, being as follows: Instantly turn 
the patient downwards with a large roll of clothing under stomach 
and chest. Place one of his arms under his forehead so as to keep 
his mouth off the ground. Press with all your weight two or 
three times, for four or five seconds each time, upon the patient's 



HEALTH ITEMS. 439 

back, so that the water is pressed out of lungs and stomach, and 
drains freely out of the mouth. Then quickly turn patient's face 
upwards, with roll of clothing under back, just below the shoulder 
blades, and make the head hang back just as low as possible. 
Place patient's hands above his head, kneel with patient's hips 
between your knees, and fix your elbows firmly against your hips. 
Now — grasping lower part of patient's naked chest — squeeze his 
two sides together, pressing gradually forward with all your weight 
for about three seconds, until your mouth is nearly over mouth of 
patient; then, with a push, suddenly jerk yourself back. Rest 
about three seconds; then begin again, repeating these bellows- 
blowing movements with perfect regularity, so that foul air may 
be pressed out and pure air be drawn into the lungs about eight or 
ten times a minute, for at least one hour, or until the patient 
breathes naturally. These directions must be used on the spot, the 
first instant the patient is taken from the water. A moment's delay, 
and success may be hopeless. Prevent crowding around the patient; 
plenty of fresh air is important. Be careful not to interrupt the 
first short natural breaths. If they be long apart, carefully con- 
tinue between them the bellows-blowing movements as before. 
After breathing is regular, let patient be rubbed dry, wrapped in 
warm blankets, take hot spirits and water in small occasional doses 
and then be left to rest and sleep. 

Cure for Burists. 
The following cure was successfully tried by a lady upon one of 
her own children, who was sevei'ely burned by a little companion: 
She wrapped it up completely with cotton wool or wadding, so that 
not a breath of air could touch the body, and night and day kept it 
saturated with vinegar, which caused the pain to cease immediately. 
She persevered until the fresh young skin had formed a sufficient 
covering of its own underneath. Her husband, who did not enter' 
quite so readily into her system, lifted a little of the wadding from 
the cheek one day when she was out, and was charmed to see the 



440 HEALTH ITEMS. 

new skin growing so well; but the spot on the cheek was the only- 
scar the child had when quite recovered. A quill leading to the 
mouth served for it to breathe and be fed by. 

Grandmother's Salve foe Everything. 

Two pounds of rosin and half a cup of mutton tallow after it is 
hard, half as much beeswax, and half an ounce of camphor gum; 
put all together into an old kettle, and let it dissolve and just come 
to a boil, stirring with a stick; then take half a pail of warm water, 
just the chill off, pour it in and stir carefully until you can get your 
hands around it. Two persons must each take half and pull like 
candy until quite white and brittle; put a little grease on your 
hands to prevent sticking, and keep them wet all the time. Wet 
the table, roll out the salve, and cut it with a knife. Keep it in a 
cool place. 

Cholera Remedy. 

Mix in a small bottle equal parts of tincture of opium (lauda- 
num), rhubarb, capsicum, camphor, spirits of nitre, and essence of 
peppermint, double strength. Shake well, and cork tight. Dose: 
From five to thirty drops every fifteen minutes. Dose for children: 
From two to ten drops. 

Fig Paste for Constipation. 
One-half pound of good figs chopped fine, one-half pint of 
molasses, two ounces powdered senna leaves, one drachm finely-pow- 
dered coriander seed, one drachm finely-powdered cardamom seed. 
Put the molasses on the stove and let it come to a boil, then stir in 
all the rest and bring to a boil again. A teaspoonful once in a 
while is a dose. It will keep, when covered, for a year. 

Cure for Chilblains. 
Place red hot coals in a vessel, and throw upon them a handful 
of corn meal; hold the feet in the dense smoke, renewing the coals 
and the meal, till the pain is relieved. This has been known to 
make very marked cures when all other remedies had failed. 



HEALTH ITEMS. 441 

For Canker Sore Mouth. 
Burn a corn cob and apply the ashes two or three times a day. 

Cure for Corns. 
The strongest acetic acid, applied night and morning, will cure 
hard and soft corns in a week. 

Ring Worm. 

Put a penny into a tablespoonful of vinegar; let it remain until 
it becomes green, and wash the ring worm with this two or three 
times a day. 

Cure For Rheumatism and Bilious Headache. 
Finest Turkey rhubarb, half an ounce; carbonate of magnesia, one 
ounce; mix intimately; keep well corked in glass bottle. Dose: 
One teaspoonful, in milk and sugar, the first thing in the morning; 
repeat till cured. Tried with success. 

For Felon. 
As soon as the pulsation which indicates the disease is felt, put 
directly over the spot a fly blister about the size of your thumb 
nail, and let it remain for six hours, at the expiration of which 
time, directly under the surface of the blister, may be seen the 
felon, which can be instantly taken out with the point of a needle 
or a lancet. 

For Felon, No. 2. 

Take common rock salt, as used for salting down pork or beef, 
dry in an oven, then pound it fine and mix with spirits of turpen- 
tine in equal parts; put it in a rag and wi-ap it around the parts 
affected; as it gets dry put on more, and in twenty-four hours you 
are cured. The felon will be dead. 

Toothache. 
At a meeting of the London Medical Society Dr. Blake, a distin- 
guished physician, said that he was able to cure the most desperate 



442 HEALTH ITEMS. 

case of toothache, unless the disease was connected "mth rheuma- 
tism, by the application of the following remedy: Alum reduced to 
an impalpable powder, two drachms; nitrous spirits of ether, seven 
drachms; mix and apply to the tooth. Tried with success. 

Cure eor Neuralgia. 

A friend who suffered horrible pains from neuralgia, hearing of a 
noted physician in Germany who invariabl)'^ cured the disease, went 
to him, and was permanently cured after a short sojourn. The 
doctor gave him the remedy, which was nothing but a poultice and 
tea made from our common field thistle. The leaves are macerated 
and used as a poultice on the parts affected, while a small quantity 
of the same is boiled down to the proportion of a quart to a pint, 
and a small wineglass of the decoction drank before each meal. 
Our friend says he has never known it to fail of giving relief, while 
in almost every case it has effected a cure. God gave herbs for the 
healing of the nations. 

Tincture of Iodine on Corns. 

Dr. Bajis states that corns may be rapidly cured by the applica- 
tion of the tincture of iodine; the corn disappearing in the course 
of a few days, if touched with the tincture several times a day. If 
the corn be situated between the toes, it should be covered with a 
piece of linen steeped in a mixture of the tincture and glycerine. 

Smallpox Remedy. 

The following remedy a friend tried in Ohio in a case of con- 
fluent smallpox, when the doctor had little hope of saving the 
patient, and it saved the ' woman's life. The remedy is sure in 
scarlet fever. " I herewith ajjpend a recipe which has been used 
to my own knowledge in a hundred cases. It Avill prevent or cure 
the smallpox, even though the pittings are filling. "When Jenner 
discovered cow pox in England, the world of science hurled an 
avalanche of fame upon his head, and when the most scientific 
school of medicine in the world (that of Paris) published this pan- 



HEALTH ITEMS. 443 

acea for the smallpox, it passed unheeded. It is as unfailing as fate, 
and conquers in every instance. It is harmless when taken by a 
well person. It will also cure scarlet fever. Take sulphate of zinc, 
one grain; fox glove {digitalis) one grain; half a teaspoonful of 
water. When thoroughly mixed, add four ounces of water. Take 
a spoonful every hour, and either disease will disappear in twelve 
hours. For a child, smaller doses, according to age." 

For Hydrophobia. 

Franklin Dyer, a highly respectable farmer of Galena, Kent 
County, Md., gives the following as a sure cure for the bite of a 
mad dog. He has tested it with most gratifying results: Elecam- 
pane is a plant well known and found in many gardens. Imme- 
diately after being bitten, take one and a half ounces of the root of 
the plant, the green root is preferable. The dried, to be found in 
drug stores, will answer; bruise it, put it in a pint of fresh milk, 
boiled down to half a pint, strain, and when cold drink it, fasting 
at least six hours afterwards. The next morning repeat the dose, 
fasting, using two ounces of the root. On the third morning, take 
another dose prepared as the last, and this will be sufficient. After 
each dose, nothing to be eaten for at least six hours. I had a son 
who was bitten by a mad dog eighteen years ago, and four other 
children in the neighborhood were also bitten. They took the 
above, and are now alive and well. I have known many who were 
cured. It is supposed that the root contains a principle, which, 
being taken up by the blood in its circulation, counteracts or neu- 
tralizes the deadly effect of the virus of hydrophobia. I feel so 
much confidence in this simple remedy that I am willing you should 
give my name in connection with this statement. 

Flannels for Fomentation. 
Fold the flannel the size to fit over the top of a pot of boiling 
water, and cover with a lid; in a few minutes it will be hotter than 
if wrung out of boiling water and yet dry at the corners; roll it up 
covered, and convey quickly to the patient. 



444 HEALTH ITEMS. 

For Hoarseness. 
Squeeze the juice of half a lemon in a pint boM'l, add loaf sugar 
(two tablespoonfuls), one teaspoonful of glycerine, and one table- 
spoonful of whiskey; pour over this boiling hot water to nearly 
fill the bowl, and drink hot just before going to bed. 

For Sore Throat. 
Cut slices of salt pork or fat bacon; simmer a few moments in 
hot vinegar, and apply to throat as hot as possible. When this is 
taken off, as the throat is relieved, put around a bandage of soft 
flannel. A gargle of equal parts of borax and alum, dissolved in 
water, is also excellent. To be used frequently. 

Healing Lotion. 

One ounce glycerine, one ounce rose-water, ten drops carbolic 
acid. This preparation prevents and cures chapping of the skin, 
and at the same time bleaches it. It is also excellent for sore lips 
and gums. 

To Prevent Contagion from Eruptive Diseases. 

Keep constantly, in plates or saucers, sliced raw onions in the 
sick room, if possible. As fast as they become discolored, replace 
by fresh ones. During any epidemic of skin diseases that are 
eruptive, onions, except those taken fresh from the earth, are 
unsafe, as they are peculiarly sensitive to disease. 

For Toothache. 
Of powdered alum and line salt, equal quantities; apply to the 
tooth and it will give speedy relief. 

For Headache. 
Pour a few drops of ether on one-half ounce of gum camphor 
and pulverize; add to this an equal quantity of carbonate of ammo- 
nia pulverized; add twenty drops peppermint; mix and put in an 
open-mouthed bottle and cork. 



HEALTH ITEMS. 445 

To Stop Bleeding. 
A handful of flour bound on the cut. 

To Restore from Stroke op Lightning. 

Shower with cold water for two hours; if the patient does not 
show signs of life, put salt in the water, and continue to shower* an 
hour longer. 

Salve for Chilblains. 

Fry out nicely a little mutton tallow; into this while melted, and 
after it is nicely strained, put an equal quantity of coal oil; stir 
"well together while it is coolings. 

To Remove Discoloration from Bruises. 
Apply a cloth wrung out in very hot water, and renew fre- 
quently until the pain ceases. Or, apply raw beefsteak. 

Cure for Wasp Sting. 
Apply a poultice of saleratus water and flour, and bind on the 
sting. Apply slices of raw onion for a bee sting. 

Cure for Summer Complaint. 
Two ounces tincture rhubarb, one of paregoric, one-half of 
essence of peppermint, one-half of essence of anise, one half of 
prepared chalk. Dose for adult, one teaspoonful in a little water; 
take as often as needed. 

The Best Deodorizer. 
Use brorao-chloralum in the proportion of one tablespoonful to 
eight of soft water; dip cloths in this solution and hang in the 
rooms; it will purify sick rooms of any foul smells. The surface 
of anything may be purified by washing well and then rubbing 
over with a weakened solution of bromo-chloralum. A weak solu- 
tion is excellent to rinse the mouth with often, when from any 
cause the breath is offensive. It is also an excellent wash for sores 
and wounds that have an offensive odor. 



CHAPTER XXXVII. 



CARE AND CULTURE OF CHILDREN. 

Sleep. 
N infant in sound health will sleep almost continually during 
U\ the first four or five weeks of its life. All that is necessary 
in the interval is to guard against accidents likely to create 
disturbance. Of these injurious incidents, deficiency of warmth, 
want of cleanliness, and over-fatigue, are the most liable to occur, 
converting the happiest period of development into a restless state 
of being, alike pernicious to parent and child. 

As though to indicate the necessity for this lengthy repose, the 
sense of hearing in a new-born babe is very dull. Ordinary con- 
versation does not disturb an infant's slumbers, although loud, 
sudden noises may have that effect. Li most instances, a babe does 
not appear to be conscious of sounds until about the fifth or sixth 
week of its existence. In the raeanl^ime the necessary disturbances 
are confined to being suckled, washed, and changed; for which 
duties occasion should be taken during the short wakeful intervals 
which happen when hunger prevails. 

So valuable is the repose which sleep affords throughout the 
whole period of early childhood, that too much pains cannot be 
taken to cultivate the habit from the earliest moment; for, be it 
observed, sleep is essentially a habit of our nature, and its recur- 
rence depends chiefly on regularity of living and good health. At 
appointed times, and certain places, infants should be encouraged 
to submit to sleep. Let them understand that, after food and 
exercise, it is time to ^o to bed; and a lesson will have been learned 

446 



CARE AND CULTURE OF CHILDREN. 



447 



-which will require no undue force to put into practice during the 
term of nursery life. 

Infants born in the winter and during the cold months of spring, 
require to sleep at the mother's side for the first few weeks; accord- 
ing to one authority, " for the first few months, as it requires the 




warmth of another person's body, especially in winter." But the 
strength of the child, as well as the weather, must carry their due 
weight in determininor the lencjth of the time. Doctors differ on 
this point. At all events, it should lie alone when sufticiently strong 



448 CARE AND CULTURE OF CHILDREN. 

to bear it; when sleeping with the mother it should not, on that 
account, be the oftener suckled; the mischief of the latter habit 
does not end with the over-taxed digestion of the child. Few 
mothers are able to stand the drain thus made upon their strength, 
and in consequence, "nursing" has to be given up much sooner 
than would otherwise be necessary. 

The natural time for slumber, in very early life, is immediately 
after taking food. As the young of almost all creatures show this 
disposition, there can be no harm in following the dictate. Oj^por- 
tunity, then, should be taken to lay the child in its bed, whether 
awake or not, after having been fed. A little later in life, when 
digestion is stronger, and the stomach is better able to dispose of a 
heavy meal, an interval is necessary between taking nourishment 
and going to sleep. 

The utmost vigilance is generally necessary to prevent the habit 
of sleeping in the nurse's arms from being contracted. Most nurses 
enjoy a doze in front of the fire — a luxury well earned by, perchance, 
a broken night's rest; but with infants no such necessity is felt. 
Still, if they are once allowed to feel the soothing influence of the 
fire's warmth, combined with the soft and pleasant mechanical 
movement of the nurse's knees, they speedily get rebellious against 
attempts to make them lie alone in the crib. In engaging a nurse, 
it is advisable to have it clearly understood that the babe is not to 
be nursed on the lap when asleep. 

The best-trained child, however, will not return peacefully to its 
cot if the bedding is not perfectly dry and comfortable. After the 
child has been lifted out, " changed," and fed, the pillow and mat- 
tress should be well shaken and, if necessary, wet blankets replaced 
by dry ones. Having put the infant back, the light should be par- 
tially screened or extinguished. These arrangements require to be 
made in a very methodical manner, and will have to be repeated a 
few times to be fully understood by the child. If, at the outset, a 
cry of resistance should be heard when it is time to go back to bed, 
a wise mother will conceal herself from sight, and turn a deaf ear. 



CARE AND CULTURE OF CHILDREN. 449 

Sooner or later this breaking-in will have to take place, and the 
longer it is delayed, the greater will be the trouble. 

About the age of three months, an infant does not usually require 
night-feeding more frequently than when the mother retires to rest, 
and again toward five or six in the morning. At this age the 
faculty of observation begins generally to show itself, and affords a 
golden opportunity to convey right impressions to the plastic infant 
mind. The first objects of which a child takes nutice are those 
which are employed in supplying its personal wants. Thus the sight 
of a nursing-bottle will generally set a child to crying for food. In 
like manner it is a good plan to appropriate certain coverings to 
the use of an infant when " sleeping-time " is in question. The 
writer has known a gaily-colored knitted rug to set the tiny inmates 
of a nursery yawning from the mere associations which the familiar 
wrapper suggested. Each infant in turn had been enveloped in 
that rug pi'eparatorj'- to going to sleej), and they had not a thought 
of resisting its influence. 

The habit of taking a mid-day nap may be advantageously 
observed till the age of three or four years has been attained. 
Even if the child be not sleepy it is advisable to let it lie in its cot 
for a certain time after having taken exercise, and before dinner. 
If any inducement is necessary, there is no reason why a few toys 
or a picture-book should not be allowed in bed. Pretending to 
hush a doll to sleep, for instance, will often send the child itself to 
sleep, and is as good a ruse as can be adopted. 

Before putting the inmates of a nursery to bed, the room should 
be darkened, and the nurse should betake herself, if possible, to an 
adjoining room for any occupation she may have to fulfill. 

Care is needed not to arouse a child too suddenly from its 
slumbers. Allow it, on all occasions to waken of its own accord. 

A notion is prevalent that much sleeping by day lessens the 
power of sleeping by night; but this is an error. As a general rule 
the more a child sleeps the more it wants to sleep. Wakefulness 
is generally caused by over-fatigue and excitement, and is a posi- 

29 



450 CARE AND CULTURE OF CHILDREN. 

tively painful state to the sensitive organism of a young child. 
This description of- suffering admits of no alleviation but from 
sleep; reprimands and additional food only increase the sufferer's 
torment. 

It ought not to be necessary to point out the danger of giving 
narcotics to young children. But so long as such remedies as 
*' teething powders," etc., are recommended, we must not be sup- 
posed to ignore the fact that the true nature of such drugs is, not 
to facilitate the process of cutting teeth, but to lull restless infants 
into an unnatural sleep. Long before any disturbance of a child's 
health is likely to occur from teething, these compounds are apt to be 
administered simply to secure a quite night's rest. The restlessness 
complained of arises, nine times out of ten, from flatulence and 
indigestion. A fit of sleeplessness may, in very many instances, be 
terminated by wrapping the infant in a warm covering, and exer- 
cising it in an apartment of lower temperature than the nursery. 

In more advanced childhood than we have hitherto spoken of, 
the importance of sleep is undiminished, and should be observed 
with regularity. No invariable rule can be laid down for general 
observance, but most children between the ages of four and seven 
years tequire, at least, twelve hours' sleep. ^Ten hours are supposed 
to be needful for school boys, and eight for adults. Few children 
under ten years of age can be kept out of their beds after ten 
o'clock without injury to their health. When once awake in the 
morning, they should be accustomed to rise at once. 

Most parents go to their childrens' rooms before retiring. The 
chief object in these visits is to see whether the little ones be suffi- 
ciently covered, and that no draughts be felf from open windows 
and doors. 

In the winter, a few hours after being put in bed, most young 
children require a little additional covering, owing to the body 
having lost some of its warmth during sleep. Another precaution 
to be taken is, that the children's heads be sufficiently raised to 
prevent their breathing the air emitted from their lungs. This 



CARE AND CULTURE OF CHILDREN. 451 

habit, if not necessarily fatal, is certainly liable to lay the seeds of 
a consumptive state, and to produce an impaired constitution. A 
single small pillow is generally sufficient. One blanket should 
always be placed with the selvage ends across the bed, in order to 
allow plenty of room to turn in under the mattress. Children 
generally sleep more comfortably, and suffer less from cold feet, 
if their bedding be slightly raised at the foot. a • 

Exercise. 

During the first few weeks of life, the disposition to sleep indi- 
cates the necessity for avoiding anything like excitement to prema- 
ture activity. • With limbs and muscles undeveloped, and mental 
powers unformed, the only exertion to which a very young child 
should be subjected is that which is occasioned by being washed 
and dressed. Gentle chafing of the limbs before a fire may be 
practiced morning and evening with benefit and pleasure to the 
babe. Not until an infant voluntarily seeks movement, or the 
dawning intelligence evinces pleasure in passing objects should any 
attempt be made to disturb the order of things established by 
nature. This change may generally be observed about the third 
month. In the meantime, the more tranquil an infant can be kept, 
both in mind and in body, the greater are the chances of unchecked 
development at the proper period. 

The practice of too many nurses is at variance with these simple 
rules. Uninformed, generally, respecting the structure of the 
human frame, they are apt to apply principles of exercise totally 
unBtted to the tender organism of infancy. Hence the objection- 
able habit of jog-trotting on the knee, together with the pernicious 
practice of inducing the babe to support its head before the spine 
is strong enough to bear the weight. The period when it is safe to 
encourage an infant to sit upright is at the age of seven months. 
Previously to that time the body should be held only in a semi- 
erect posture, either by resting across the nurse's shoulder, or by 
placing the distended palm of her hand against the child's chest. 
It is more necessary to observe these precautions against spinal 



452 CARE AND CULTURE OF CHILDREN. 

weakness in time, because children who may have been injuriously 
managed at the outset become restless when it is attempted to keep 
them in a reclining posture. 

An exercise very congenial to the inclination of a baby consists 
in spreading cushions upon the floor for it, upon which to spread 
itself. If no cushion be at hand, a clean cot mattress will answer 
equally 'well. »A11 little ones revel in freedom from the restrained 
posture of the nurse's arms. The above exercise is the first step 
toward learning to creep — the most healthful and natural mode of 
progression in babyhood. Some over-anxious parents check thia 
habit, lest it should bring the infant into danger. Harm, however, 
seldom results, provided common precautions be taken. Another 
prejudice sometimes entertained against creeping is that, if a child 
finds how easy it is to get along on the hands and knees, it will not 
try to walk. Here, again, the fears are unfounded. All children 
are anxious to get upon their feet as soon as they feel themselves 
strong enough to do so; but many children do not walk before they 
are from twelve to fourteen months old. In the meanwhile creep- 
ing brings every limb into play in manner proportionate to an 
infant's strength. The best dress for the creeping age is the one in 
which little French children are usually attired — a sort of Knicker- 
bocker suit, warm and loose, with trousers and vest all of one piece. 

The stage at which infants begin to walk demands the exercise of 
a considerable amount of self-control on the part of the parents^ 
inasmuch as falls are inevitable. These appear to a looker-on to be 
of a more serious nature than they really are. Provided a child 
does not fall from a greater elevation than his own height, injury 
very seldom occurs from these tumbles. The most dangerous falls 
are those from spring mattresses and seats. The suddenness of the 
jerk prevents a child from saving itself by the exercise of the 
momentary instinct which is usually displayed in other cases of 
impending danger. Left to themselves, little folks generally fall 
neatly, and manage to keep their heads uppermost. The cry which 
is heard after these accidents arises from surprise and mortification. 



4 



CARE AND CULTURE OF CHILDREN. 453 

and the troiible is best treated as a joke. If, instead of catcliing 
the child up in her arms and smothering it with caresses, accompa- 
nied with expressions of sympathy, the nurse said, in a cheerful 
voice, " Jump up, and see where you sat last," the child's mind 
would be diverted, and braced to fresh exertions. 

As soon as the child is able to leave the house, it should pass as 
much of the time as possible in the open air. Even sleeping out of 
doors does no harm provided proper clothing be worn. Warm 
clothing for the chest, arms, legs, feet, and loins is essential. The 
head should be kept cool, and the face covei'ed with a light gauze 
material only. As a general rule, the head-gear of an infant should 
admit of the free passage of the air inhaled and exhaled both by 
day and by night. 

Perambulators, under careful guidance, are a real boon to both 
nurse and child. If the babe be healthy, and the weather suitable, 
there is no reason why infants should not, almost from the com- 
mencement, take daily exercise in a pei'ambulator. Children from 
the age of a year old thrive better when exercised in the open air 
in a perambulator than when carried in the nurse's arms. Less 
fatigue in carrying ensures less risk from nurse sitting down to 
rest. It is seldom that cold is taken when passing briskly through 
the air; standing still in draughty places is always most carefully 
to be guarded against. Two little ones can be exercised in a double 
perambulator at an age when two nurses would be required to 
afford separate exercise to each child. 

When the exercise of walking ceases to be a pleasurable excite- 
ment, some inducement is needful to get little folks along. The 
daily walk consequently becomes a trial of patience to nurse and 
child. The best way to obviate this difficulty is to make the walk 
a secondary object, and some attendant amusement the ostensible 
one, such as playing at horses, etc. 

Muscular exercise, adapted to more advanced childhood, has 
received an important accessory in the form of gymnastic appa- 
ratus, of great variety and simplicity. They are made for different 



454 CARE AND CULTURE OF CHILDREN. 

classes of strength, and are designed to bring every muscle into 
play. There are also very many valuable courses of exercise for 
which no apparatus of any kind is necessary. 

Food. 

The most suitable food for infants is that of Nature's own pro- 
viding — mother's milk. In very exceptional' instances is this supply 
shoi't-coraing during the first few weeks after child-birth. If, 
unhappily, the contrary should be the case, a delicate infant caa 
seldom be successfully reared without the aid of a wet-nurse. The 
only circumstances which should prevent a mother from suckling 
her offspring are a too excitable temperament, or a consumptive 
state of c'onstitution. Ordinary debility, consequent or recent con- 
finement, is rarely an impediment to the fulfillment of one of the 
highest instincts of human nature, and one no less productive of 
moral than of physical benefits. During the time a child receives 
nourishment at its mother's breast the earliest bond of sympathy, 
destined to influence a lifetime of parent and child, is naturally 
fprmed. 

Whatever changes it may be found necessary to make in the 
dietary of an infant after the age of six weeks, absolute necessity 
alone should induce the substitution of artificial in lieu of natural 
food. The first milk is of a purgative nature, and is admirably 
adapted to cleanse the system of a new-born babe. In this par- 
ticular, the most desirable wet-nurse might fail to prove a fitting 
deputy for the mother. Likewise, throughout the period of nursing, 
it is a point of great importance that the quality of the nourish- 
ment should be proportionate to the age of an infant. If the ser- 
vices of a wet-nurse are inevitable, it should be sought to engage 
one who has been a mother about the same length of time as the 
parent of the infant to be brought up. In selecting a wet-nurse a 
medical man is the proper medium. 

During the first two or three weeks, an infant, if awake, may be 
suckled at intervals of from one to two hours. The sooner, how- 
ever, the babe can be brought into the habit of being fed once in 



CARE AND CULTURE OF CHILDREN. 455 

two hours the greater will be the benefit derived from the nourish- 
ment, and the more speedily will the mother be enabled to regain 
her own strength. A determination to attain regularity in feeding 
is all that is needed. When this plan is steadily pursued, the 
digestion of a child will work with the precision of the clock by 
which its meals are i-egulated. All cries should not be supposed to 
arise from craving for food. Numberless cases of irritation may 
occasion a fretful cry — cold feet, pressure of clothing, wet linen, or 
other discomforts. Instead, therefore, of giving food instantly, it 
is advisable to open the clothes, warm the tiny feet, chafe the 
limbs, or, if possible, take the infant for a little walk out of doors. 
If, after having tried similar remedies, the fretfulness continues, 
the cause should be sought in the condition of the child's stools. 
If signs of griping pains, or colic, be evident, less food should be 
given, and the intervals between his meals lengthened. 

Sometimes a cry of continual disti'ess prevails, from the mother's 
milk being not sufficiently nourishing to satisfy the appetite of the 
babe. In such cases it is advisable to give, every night and morn- 
ing, a meal of cow's milk and water, prepared in the following 
manner: Fi-esh milk and warm water, of each, one-quarter of a 
pint; sugar of milk, one teaspoonful. The latter should first be 
dissolved in the warm water, then the milk, unboiled, mixed with 
it. Sweetening with sugar of milk, instead of lump sugar, makes a 
greater resemblance to the mother's milk. Possibly the infant may 
take but half the above quantity; we only give the recipe to show 
the right proportions. An older child might require all at a meal. 

The practice of giving thickened food to infants at too tender an 
age is a source of endless trouble. Dr. Edward Smith remarks that 
the feeding of young infants on bread, biscuits, flour, and other 
substances than milk, " is a constant source of derangement of the 
liv(r, and a frequent cause of fits." As a general rule a baby 
ought to be entii-ely nourished on milk until the first tooth appears. 

" Up to six or seven months of age infants have not the power 
of digesting farinaceous or fibrinous substances." After that ag&- 



456 CARE AND CULTURE OF CHILDREN. 

many descriptions of farinaceous food may be used, and are to be 
strongly recommended. Beef tea, veal, chicken, or mutton broth 
are apt to turn acid and cause flatulence or sickness, and should 
not be given without medical advice. Care should be observed in 
every change of infants' diet, especially if teething be in operation. 

A very necessary treatment after a meal consists in lifting the 
loahe across the nurse's left shoulder, whether awake or asleep, and 
gently patting the infant's back until the wind displaced by the 
food is thrown off the stomach. Wherever this precaution is used 
gripes and windy colic are seldom heard of. 

The period of weaning is one of great anxiety. Make the change 
gradually. A little self-restraint in keeping out of sight when the 
child may naturally be supposed to be hungry, is the greatest act 
of kindness to the little one. The most favorable time for weaning 
is in warm weather, when the infant can be amused and kept much 
out of doors. 

The utmost cleanliness should be observed in every detail con- 
nected with the keeping of all utensils for nursery use. When 
removed from the bottle, the India-rubber top should be immedi- 
ately jjlaced in a glass of clean water, and the bottle cleansed of 
every trace of food, and twice a day rinsed out with tea-leaves and 
■water. When not in use the bottle should be hidden from the 
infant's sight. 

Rice Jelly. 

One-half cup whole rice, well washed and soaked two hours in a 
little warm water; then added, with the water, to that in the kettle 
three ])ints cold water, one small pinch of salt, put into the wati^r. 
Sweeten to taste with loaf sugar. Simmer the rice half an hour; 
then boil until it is a smooth paste, and the water is reduced one- 
half. Strain through double tarlatan, sweeten, and give to the 
child. This is an admirable preparation for an infant suffering 
with weakness of the bowels. If there be no fever, you may put 
one-third part milk, boiled with the rice. Give a few spoonfuls 
every hour or half hour. 



CARE AND CULTURE OF Cinhl>REJS'. 457 

Arrowroot. 
One cup of boiling water, one cup of fresh milk, two teaspoon fuls 
best Bermuda arrowi-oofc, wet with cold water, one small pinch of 
salt, two even teaspoonfuls white sugar, dissolved in the milk. 
Stir the arrowroot paste into the salted boiling water; stir and boil 
five minutes or until it is clear; add the sweetened milk, and boil 
ten minutes, slowly, still stirring. If the child has fever, or cannot 
digest milk, substitute hot water for it. It is, however, a dangerous 
experiment to forbid milk altogether for an infant. It would be 
better to diminish the quantity, putting in, say, one-third or one- 
fourth as much as the receipt names, and filling up with boiling 
water. 

Milk and Bread. 

One-half cup boiled milk, two tablespoonfuls stale Graham bread, 
a very little sugar. Crumble the bread into the boiled milk, 
sweeten, and when cool enough, feed to the child with a spoon. 

WnEATEN Grits. 
Four tablespoonfuls grits (cracked wheat) soaked in a little cold 
water one hour, and then put into the kettle; one quart boiling 
Avater, one cup milk, a pinch of salt. Boil the soaked grits in the 
quart of water one hour, stirring up often; add the milk and boil 
half an hour longer. Sweeten to taste, and if the child is well, 
pour cream over it. This is designed for children over a year old. 
It is slightly cathartic; especially if the milk be omitted, and is 
most useful in regulating the bowels. When this can be done 
without drugs, it is far better. 

Hominy and Milk. 

One-half cup small hominy, one scant quart of cold water, pinch 
of salt. Boil one hour, stirring often. While hot, mix some soft 
with new milk, sweeten to taste and feed to the baby with a S])oon. 
This is also relaxing to the bowels, and should not be given if the 
child is disposed to summer complaint. 



458 CARE AND CULTURE OF CHILDREN. 

Graham Hasty Pudding. 

One cup Graham flour, wet up with cold water; one large cup 
boiling water and same quantity of milk; one saltspoonful salt. 
Stir the wet flour into the boiling water, slightly salted. Boil ten 
minutes, stirring almost constantly; add the milk, and cook, after 
it has come again to a boil, ten minutes longer. Give with sugar 
and milk for breakfast. 

Eaten with cream, nutmeg, and powdered sugar, this is a good 
plain dessert for grown people as well as children. 

Rice Flour Hasty Pudding 

Is made as above, substituting two heaping tablespoonfuls rice 
flour for the Graham, 

Milk Porridge. 
One tablespoonful Indian meal, one cup of white flour, wet to a 
paste with cold water; two cups boiling water, two cups milk, a 
good pinch of salt. Boil the paste in hot water twenty minutes; 
add the milk, and cook ten minutes more, stirring often. Eat with 
sugar and milk, stirred in while hot. 

Mush and Milk. 
One cup Indian meal, wet up with cold water; two quarts cold 
water; salt to taste. Boil two hours; stirring often with a wooden 
spoon or a stick. To be eaten hot with milk and sugar. 

Condensed Milk. 
This is perhaps the safest substitute for the " good milk from one 
cow," which few mothers in town can procure. Keep the can in a 
cool place and mix according to directions. 

Moral Influence — Obedience. 
In the preceding pages we have described the mode of manage- 
ment best adapted to the bodily wants of young children, but it is 
also necessary to suggest means for the healthy culture for the 
mental and moral faculties of childhood. For, though the growth 



CARE AND CULTURE OF CHILDREN. 459 

of the mind may not make visible progress in the same proportion 
as is seen in the tiny frame, the same steady development toward 
maturity is, nevertheless, taking place continually, resulting in a 
healthy or unsound condition of mind, according to the amount of 
culture bestowed. For this culture, the long period of helplessness 
which characterizes babyhood is especially favorable. A mother, 
as the being nearest and dearest to the almost unconscious infant, 
should act not only as the appointed guardian of its bodily welfare, 
but should also extend her care and effort to the development and 
culture of its mind. By its parent's smile or frown an infant reads, 
as from a book, signs of approval or rebuke of every act com- 
mitted. Instinctively, little children turn toward their mothers on 
all occasions of doubt, and, unhesitatingly, they guide their course 
by the mute exjDression they observe on her face. 

This golden opportunity of maintaining a natural influence is too 
valuable to be lightly regarded, or carelessly risked. From the 
commencement, therefore, it is desirable that a mother should seize 
every occasion of turning it to good account. In all her actions 
toward her babe, she should ever bear in mind that example is the 
most impressive mode of teaching, and tha'. if she constantly does 
what is right in the presence of her child, a true principle of con- 
duct is imparted without any need of verbal explanation. 

It is commonly believed that no harm can come of letting a child 
have its own way, so long as it is a mere babe. But this is a serious 
delusion. As soon as a child is of an age to express its wants, 
whether by one means or another, it is old enought to be brought 
into habits of obedience. Obedience is the first lesson to be taught, 
and very sensible are all well-managed babes of its meaning. No 
harsh words, no impatient gestures, need be added to enforce the 
rule, which consists simply in not doing what the babe demands, if 
it is not the right time and the proper place for the desired gratifi- 
cation. 

Talie food as an example. If children were left to themselves 
they would be eating and drinking perpetually of whatever came in 



460 CARE AND CULTURE OF CHILDREN. 

their way, till the stomach could no longer retain the improper 
substances. Wholesome food would be rejected for more palatable 
sweets and dainties. Before long, depraved tastes would be con- 
firmed. Much the same misfortune sometimes befalls over-fed 
children of the wealthy, notwithstanding the care bestowed in other 
respects on their nurture; and an impaired constitution is the 
result. Food, then, becomes alike a means of bodily nourishment 
and of discipline of the mind. The quality of the food, and the 
hour at which it is taken, are matters for the parent to decide to 
the best of her judgment. Having done so, any fretful impatience 
on the part of the child should be unheeded. If, in a fit of passion, 
the usual meal should be refused, no attempt at persuasion should 
be wasted, but, after a reasonable time for recovery from any dis- 
appointment experienced, the objectionable repast should be put 
aside, and the child's attention turned to something else. Hunger 
is an eloquent pleader, and if the refusal has merely sprung from 
disappointment at not having something else, signs of a craving 
appetite will soon appear. Then it will be time to re-offer the 
original nourishment, which, in all probability, will be greedily 
consumed. If, upon observation, it is found that the repetition of 
the same kind of food is repulsive, the reason should be sought in 
the health of the child, or in the mode of preparing the meal. 
With respect to the time of feeding, irregularity should be guarded 
against by not giving children scraps to eat between meals; neither 
should they be exposed to the sight of tempting food at unsuitable 
times. 

Another early opportunity of implanting a spirit of obedience 
will be found in the impulsive habit which little children have of 
seizing whatever they desire to possess. This habit requires great 
firmness in checking, and a determination on the parent's part to risk 
a flood of tears rather than to let the coveted article remain in the 
child's possession. Added to the danger which results to little 
children from letting the'habit of snatching have sway, the destruc- 
tion of property is liable to be very great. Consequently, a mother 



CARE AND CULTURE OF CHILDREN. 461 

should be on the watch to convey a notion that certain prohibited 
articles are hurtful. By shaking her head, looking gravely, and 
saying slowly, "No, no," at such times, a child will soon learn that 
something is wrong. If the child ceases in its attempts it will have 
understood the meaning of a very important word. If, however, 
the intelligence is not sufficiently strong, the object should be 
removed out of sight, the mother firmly reiterating the refusal, and 
looking the child in the face while she does so. By repeating this 
process a very few times, the meaning will become plain, and you 
will see that the child understands it. Should the child, however, 
repeat the attempt, the prohibition should be repeated, and the 
consequences of the child's taking the responsibility should be suf- 
fered to appear. Touching lire, candles, heated irons, kettles of 
hot water, and innumerable articles of a similar nature, can hardly 
be prevented in a nursery; therefore, if, after a fair understanding 
of the prohibition, a child persists in the attempt, a slight burn, or 
bruise, or scald, may prove a merciful suflfernig. On such occasions 
sympathy at the infant's pain should be tempered with reproof, 
making him understand that when he was told not to do the deed, 
you knew it would hurt him. By the above and various other 
simple means, obedience receives practical and easy illustration, 
even in infancy. 

With children of more advanced age, the force of reasoning 
sliould be employed to render acts of obedience less painful to 
perform. Those who have charge of the young should bear in 
mind that they are dealing with beings liable to be impelled by 
impetuous passions into acts of danger, of which, from M'ant of 
experience, they do not realize the extent. Adults, having passed 
through the ordeal of youth, know the punishment which an 
uncurbed spirit is apt to bring on its possessor. They have bought 
their experience dearly, perchance, from having no guiding hand 
to direct their course. The result of this experience should be to 
caution young people against preventable danger. In all warnings 

— especially where schoolboys are concerned — the truth should be 
20 ' 



462 CARE AND CULTURE OF CHILDREN. 

plainly spoken, right and wrong made unmistakably clear, and for- 
giveness freely given, whenever, from waywardness or indiscretion, 
the youthful wanderer has diverged from the right. Children 
that from their cradles have been accustomed to look upon their 
parents as their truest and most indulgent guides, are seldom want- 
ing in confidence toward them, when, through disobedience, they 
have unhappily become entrammelled in difficulties. 



CHAPTER XXXVIII. 

THE DINING ROOM. 



HE family dining-room should receive especial attention in 
regard to location. It should be so situated that it may 
have the full benefit of the morning sunlight. Its furnishing 
must not be fussy or light; everything must be dark, solid, and 
massive. The colors must be those deep, marked tones — the rich 
crimsons, dark blues, soft olives, and such permanent tints, that 
always keep their original shades despite time and wear. 

For the dining-room, situated on the sunny side of the house, 
the walls ought to be in wainscot of different colored woods, oak, 
walnut, cherry, maple, etc., and fashioned in the Old English rustic 
designs, with the panels carved in emblems of the chase. The 
ceiling should be designed in rustic squares, or medallions; either 
corresponding to, or contrasting with the wainscoting, in wood 
colors. 

In the modern dining-room, the doors leading to the china closet, 
dumb waiter, and butler's pantry, are half French mirrors, which 
has the effect of taking away the appearance of a door, and adding 
greatly to the beauty of the walls. 

The floor must be laid in choice designs of bright- colored woods, 
or tile. The centre of the floor may be covered with a rug in cor- 
responding colors to the window drapery, with a border of vagrant 
sprays of heliotrope, or vinca (periwinkle), which harmonizes with 
the majority of shades as a bordering. 

The extension-table should be low, square-cornered, and heavily 
carved; and, when not in use, should be covered with a cloth cor- 

463 



464 THE DINING ROOM. 

responding in' shade to the rug and window drapery, and ni^y be 
embroidered in contrasting colors with the bordering of the rug. 
The shelves of the side-table must be covered in the same style. 

The dining-room chairs must be in the square, solid style, 
upholstered in either plain or embossed leather, with brass or 
silver nails; but the plain leather is more preferred by people 
of good taste, for the object in selecting the dining-room chair 
should be comfort, not display. 

The sideboard of the modern dining-room is built in the wall, 
and of the same kinds of wood as the wainscoting, the doors and 
drawers being carved after the same patterns. 

The upper part contains a centre mirror and sconce, with narrow 
racks and shelves on either side extending to the cornice. These 
are only used for china ornaments, placques, etc. Very little silver 
and glassware are kept on the sideboard in these aesthetic days. It 
has given place to living flowers, in majolica vessels of every con- 
ceivable shape and design. 

The next object of importance is the fire-place, with its clear 
polished grate and shining brasses. The square massive fender is 
again in vogue. The broad and curved mantle shelf has given 
place to the high and narrow one, with its complement of airy brass 
or silver racks, and tiny mirrors. The large mantle mirror has been 
superseded by the mantle sconce, with its heavy bevelled edges. It 
is placed in the center above the shelf, and on each side of it, are 
the highly-polished brass or silver racks, each lined with a tiny 
mirror, reflecting the heterogeneous oddities that would be sadly 
out of place in almost any other room, yet, on the dining-room 
mantle shelf, are quite en regie. 

It has been the custom to deck the dining-room walls with 
pictures of the chase, fish, fruit; and these were not stinted either 
in size or number; but in these later days, aesthetic taste confines 
the walls to only two or three very small fruit pieces, and one or 
two small placques of fish or game. 

A fire screen is not always an acquisition to a dining-room; but 



THE DINING ROOM. 465 

often it 's quite necessary, for the table is generally placed so that 
some one must be seated near the fire; but if the room is otherwise 
heated the fire screen is out of place. The three-leaf folding 
Japanese screen is the kind most used for this purpose. 

The lamp shade should be of some soft lace, lined with crimson 
silk, and finished with a heavy deep crimson fringe. 

The curtains, whether of light or heavy fabric, are more conven- 
ient hung on rods; for then they may be easily pushed back to 
admit the light or drawn to exclude it. 

Sliding screens, rich in stained glass, should be attached to the 
dining-room windows, they may be placed in any position, high or 
low in the casement, and the light penetrating through them, tints 
the room in many mellow hues, giving it a look of elegance and 
solid comfort. 

Decoration^ of the Dinner Table. 

It is quite impossible for the average female mind to confront 
unmoved the delightful possibilities to-day afforded by the service 
of a dinner table. Times have changed since the mistress of a 
household thought it necessary to set before her guest a feast like 
the day-dream of Ichabod Crane, where " the pigeons were snugly 
put to bed in a comfortable pie, and tucked in with a coverlet of 
crust; the geese swimming in their own gravy, and the ducks 
pairing cozily in dishes, like snug married couples, with a decent 
competency of onion sauce." The now universal dinner a la Russe, 
with its airy hints, suggestions, innuendoes of ministry to the coarser 
needs of human nature, has limited each course to the one dish 
offered at a time, with its companion sauce or vegetable. 

Dinner giving is an art which only an individual of fine culture 
and aesthetic tastes can be successful in, and dining is an accomplish- 
ment in which only an epicure can excel. 

" Giving a dinner-party " in days gone by meant a good deal of 
hard work for the housewife and her coadjutors, generally the 
daughters or sisters of the family, it meant hours of seclusion in a 

30 



466 THE DINING ROOM. 

pantry with curls tucked up under a pastry cap, and dress obscured 
by a gingham apron, weighing, measuring, egg-beating, almond 
blanching, icing, garnishing, seasoning, tasting, and invariably 
gossiping! — all this and much more, till the lavish banquet was 
ready and waiting the guests. 

The march of civilization and modern degeneracy have materially 
lessened the labors of dinner-giving in the present. As a mere 
matter of contrast it might be well to picture the hostess of latter 
days, who, having bidden her guests, and consulted M'ith her cook 
or caterer, abandons all concern until an hour before the coming of 
the guests. The absolute work of arranging cloth, silver, crystal, 
and steel devolves upon the well-trained servant; but there are 
graceful finishing touches which no hand but the mistress' may 
give. There are sprays of smilax to be trailed over piles of rosy 
fruit, and flowers to be grouped in studied carelessness beside each 
plate. Dinner cards, and tlie mighty question of place*, must be 
settled; bon-bons, little cakes, and crystallized fruits must be 
arranged. Lamps and candles must be reviewed, the temperature 
of the room regulated, screens set, and portieres drawn for the com- 
fort of the company. A word of admonition to be given to the 
servant about the warmth of the soup, the chill of the oysters, etc., 
before the mistress vanishes into her dressing-room, soon to re-ap- 
pear and take her place, watchful, gracious, yet unconscious, as 
hostess of the feast! 

Until recently, table-cloths have been restricted to an ornament 
arising merely from the gloss obtained by various distributions of 
the warp and woof in weaving. The specimens of British and 
Saxony table-damask are almost satin-like in texture. From 
Dresden has lately come a table-cloth quite new in conception, 
representing a dance of cupids amid garlands of flowers, encircling 
the centre-piece; but the profluent tide of color and sesthetic taste, 
have invaded even this stainless snow, although in reality it is only 
the old arts reviving. 



THE DINING ROOM. 467 

The Germans are credited with being the first in imitating tahle- 
■cloths after the old Renaissance linen, bearing the design of the 
Royal Meissen China — the "Zwiebelmuster" or "onion pattern "in 
colored borders.. Since then, scarlet and blue re-appear in mono- 
gram and crest, and in other traceries wrought by hand upon the 
damask. 

The fancy for color is shown in the decorated table-linen now 
often used for large dinner tables, as well as the smaller tables 
for teas and luncheons. Large cloths are made of white momie- 
cloth, with borders of drawn-work in open lace-lik(k patterns that 
show a rich color — most often cardinal red, or crimson — beneath it, 
and there are gay decorative clusters of inner borders wrought in 
South Kensington embroidery. Sometimes these devices represent 
fruit and flowers, while others are quaint little bits of landscape 
-done in etching. The edges of the cloth are heavily fringed. The 
napkins and doyleys are etched in the same colors as the cloth, and 
in very small patterns. A wide stripe of crimson plush may be 
laid down the middle of dining-cloths, and borders of plush are set 
beneath the open figures of the drawn-work. Small cloths for five 
o'clock teas, and luncheon cloths, have the etching done in a single 
color, and each small table should have a different etching, which 
gives the whole a pleasing effect. 

The handsomest damask linen cloths for party dinners, or com- 
pany dinners, despite innovation, retain their pure whiteness, while 
colors are introduced in the smaller cloths for breakfast, supper 
and lunch tables. 

We use Macrame lace and other table-linen decoration, under the 
fond impression that it is " something new," but the drapery of the 
table, in Paul Veronese's picture of "Jesus in Simon's House," hps 
this identical Macrame trimming, and in one or two other old 
paintings, the table-cloth is bordered with cut-work that all are 
learning to make to-day. 

Some carry tbe art to such an extent that the sideboard cover, 
side-table cover, table-cloth, and naj^kins, are decorated to match, 



468 THE DINING ROOM. 

witli a handful of scarlet poppies dropped almost anywhere, while 
liere and there may be seen a vagrant yellow sunflower, with inter- 
woven texts wrouglit in either German or Old English characters. 

Variety thus laid upon the foundation stones of the dinner-table, 
appears throughout. The changes of plates are kaleidoscopic. 
You take your soup in Sevres, your entrees in England, or Dresden* 
and so on, till you come to fruit in China or Japan. It is quite 
en regie, in these aesthetic times, to turn your plate over, with the 
sapient air of a connoisseur, and study the marks thereon inscribed. 
But it is well to a^void the catastrophe which befel an absent- 
minded man, who, forgetful that he had been helped, reversed his 
plate, and bestowed one of Dalmonico's bouchees d la reine upon 
his neighbor's satin petticoat. 

The Uvse of heavy silver pieces has been veiy generally super- 
seded by exquisite little bits of porcelain or glass, bearing tribute 
of fruit and flowers. This is in reality an economy, as well as a 
pretty fashion, for a lady may select from her cabinet or shelf a 
Venice glass, an iridescent vase or two, and group her own flowers, 
without resorting to the costly structures sent in by her florist. 

A new fancy is to use but one kind of flowers upon the table, as 
for instance. Jacqueminot, Marshal Neil or Gloire de Paris roses, 
these being among the most expensive; but this fancy, happily is 
only confined to a few wealthy aesthetes. For bouquets offered at 
each plate, there are charming horn-shaped holders in Italian straw, 
flat basket to hang with ribbons to the waist, and horseshoes made 
of German violets, and used in similar fashion. 

One phase of the dessert at a recent dinner may prove sug. 
gestive; especially as the general effect resulted more from an 
harmonious assembling of colors than from a lavish display of 
wealth. The centre-piece was a glowing pyramid of scarlet poin- 
settia leaves, and white camellias, cut with long stems and their 
glossy, dark-green foliage. The shell-shaped dessert dishes, finger- 
bowls, and ice-cream plates were all of ruby Bohemian glass. The 
doyleys were etched in red silk in tiny Japanese designs. The 



THE DINING ROOM. 469 

-candelabra used were of clear crystal, the bobeches of ruby glass, and 
the red wax candles had each one a little jaunty cap, or shade, of 
scarlet silk. 

It ought to be quite a consideration to our country (cousins) 
friends who have been so long sighing for the luxury of gas, that 
candles again plaj' a prominent part in decoration. Sideboard, 
mantle-shelf and wall sconces glow with a subdued luster. 

Then the French moderator or the student's lamp, burning soft 
under a shade of antique lace, lined with crimson silk, makes so 
becoming a chiaro-oscuro, that if is doubtful whether they will be 
allowed to go out of vogue again. 

Among dinner-table adornments, there can be nothing more 
beautiful and seductive to the housekeeper, than the modei'n glass, 
now. imported in quantities, and at prices within the reach of mod- 
erate purses. What variety of form and tint in the modern Venice 
glass. Amber, topaz, opal, sea blue, ruby, and bottle-green, make 
a beautiful radiance on a snowy cloth. 

In the Bombay striped glass, introduced into England by the 
Prince of Wales, after his visit to India, and since largely repro- 
duced, there are beautiful specimens of fruit dishes, flower vases, 
and ice-cream plates, 

Bohemian and English enamelled glass appear in such beautiful 
guise, that it seems iftipossible for them to be excelled. From all 
these, and much more, to select from, the dame chatelaine need not 
be at a loss to adorn her dinner table. 

Company Dinner, 
The table should be covered with a fine damask table-cloth 
laid with the inside fold down the center of the table, whether 
the damask has been ironed or not, on the right side; it is 
indispensable to observe that the creases are on the top. Some 
prominent design in the damask generally indicates the center of 
the cloth, which must be laid in the center of the table, over which 
the eperfjne or center-piece is placed, and from which all the other 
dishes are regulated in regard io their respective positions. The 



470 THE DINING ROOM. 

plates should be well dusted before they are laid, the silver polished 
to the utmost brightness, and the salt-cellars filled with clean sifted 
Bait. Two forks should be placed on the left han(f, and a knife 
and spoon on the right. Large spoons should be crossed at each 
corner of the table, and in the center of each side; tumblers and 
wine-glasses on the right hand, from three to five in number, 
according to the different wines used; the napkin folded square,, 
with one-half turned back, and laid on the right hand or directly in 
front of the plate. The soup-ladle, gravy-spoon, and carving-knife 
and fork go before the hostess; the fish-trowel, gravy-spoon, carv- 
ing-knife and fork also before the host — and each should be an 
expert in the art of carving and helping gracefully and easily. 

The side-table should be laid with white cloth; the silver, plates, 
finger-bowls, glasses, needed during dinner, should be arranged 
neatly and tastefully on it. The wine-coolers can be placed beneath 
this table or at its side. A stack of fresh napkins, ice broken and 
ready to serve, and bottles of sauce ready to serve, should all be 
there in readiness for immediate use. 

When the soup is on the table, the butler or waiter will announce 
that "dinner is served" and the hostess will then lead the way to 
the dining-room with the most distinguished male guest, while the 
host takes the lady of the greatest social position, and the other 
guests pair off according to preference, or a hint from the hostess. 

When the soup-course is over, the waiters remove the plates 
quietly, and the fish is instantly served upon a hot plate, which is 
placed before each guest. There are no vegetables served with 
fish, but a salad is allowable. If the fish be boiled, a plate of 
sliced lemon should be handed about to be squeezed upon the fish 
unless fish-sauce, soy, or other condiment is preferred. With 
salmon, thinly cut slices of cucumber, dressed with pepper, salt, 
and vinegar, should be served. If the fish is served fi-om the 
dining-table, before it is removed, the fish-trowel and spoon should 
be taken away on a small tray. When a guest wishes to have his 
plate removed, he is supposed to rest his fork on the plate. A well- 



THE DINING ROOM. 471 

trained servant observes no other rule in making the change; sadljr 
to the chagrin of the inexperienced diner who unwittingly drops 
his fork. 

In breaking bread it is not considered well-mannered to break 
bread with both hands, as there is no occasion to relinquish the 
fork until a change of plate is desired; but between the courses the 
bread may be divided with the hands without breach of etiquette. 

Sherry is the wine usually drunk with soup and tish. There is 
little ceremony in drinking wine at the table now; it is not even 
necessary to bow to your neighbor, on raising the glass to your 
lips; still, it is a graceful deference to an old custom. 

Gentlemen do not drink their wine until the lady accompanying 
them is helped. A slight inclination to your escort, or your host or 
hostess, is always in good taste. 

After the fish, game may be served, to be followed by meats, 
after which the plates and silver are removed, and crumbs deftly 
brushed into a cnimb tray, and the dessert is placed on the table^ 
a large epergne of mixed fruit and flowers in the center, with fruit- 
knives, finger-bowls, colored doyleys and fruit plates. If coffee is 
required, it may be handed from the sideboard; but the more 
gracious and hospitable way is for the hostess to send it from a 
tray placed before her, while a waiter hands the cream and sugar 
to each guest. 

The polished mahogany of olden times has been superseded by 
the more comfortable dessert spread, or by retaining the white 
dinner cloth to the end of the feast. A tiny knot of flowers at 
each plate or in the finger-bowl is always observed at company 
dinners. 

A dinner roll may be folded in each napkin, with either a Jacque 
or Bon Silene rose placed in the upper fold, or the bread may be 
handed to the guests on Wedgewood bread-plates. 

The following bill of fare may prove suggestive, and may be 
varied according to individual preference. It is a simple dinner, 
yet contains enough viands to satisfy the most fastidious appetite.. 



472 THE DINING ROOM. 

Menu for Company Dinner. 



Oysters on tlio half shell. 
Soup a la Reine. 
Sherry. Sahnon with greea pease or cucumbers, sliced. 

Filet de Bojuf and Mushrooms. 
White wine. Fried Potatoes. 

Champagne. Salad of Lettuce or Tomatoes. 

Cold Chicken. 
Madeira. Olives. 

Ices and Jellies, Cheese. 
Sherry. Fruits. 

Coffee. 
Cordials. 

Party Dinner. 

The table should be laid with a fine white damask cloth, with 
napkin of the same design and texture. 

The epergne should be placed in the center of the table, filled 
with choice fruits and flowers with drooping ferns and trailing 
smilax. The mirror-pond placed under the epergne, is very effective. 

The mirror-pond may be bordered with a wreath of smilax or 
vinca. 

Small glass or moss-ware flower-stands, filled with fine cut 
flowers and trailing vines, should be interspersed throughout the 
table, and these should always be set on small mirror-ponds. 

Cut-glass dishes of different shapes and tints, filled with bon-bons, 
little cakes, crystallized fruits, or anything that taste may suggest 
and custom sanction; must be set at effective distances from the 
flower glasses. Colors to contrast should be studied; but to pro- 
duce a graceful effect, the dishes should blend in color, and consist 
of various sizes and shapes. 

The plates laid for the guests should not be too crowded. A 
fork is laid at the left of the plate, the right side uppermost. The 
knife is laid at the to]) of the plate, Avith the handle to the right 
and edge towards the plate. The spoon is laid at the right. A 



THE DINING ROOM. 473 

small cut-glass water-bottle with its tumbler is set at the right 
hand side of the plate, also five or more wine-glasses according to 
the number of wines used. The finger-bowl with a rosebud or 
some single flower placed in it should be set on the right, only a 
little further back on the table. The dinner napkin is folded in a 
smooth square, with two edges turned back; this forms two com- 
partments, one is for the square of bread, the other is for the small 
bouquet of flowers. 

It is customary now to place the napkin on the table along with 
the dinner card. 

If candles are used for the table, the candle-sticks, or candelabra 
may be ornamented with smilax or ground ivy. 

When a dinner is served d la Russe the table is laid as described. 
No eatables are placed upon the table save bon-bons, which are 
used with fruit and flowers to decorate the dinner-table. All else 
is handed round, having been previously carved at the sideboard or 
in tlie butler's pantry. 

The dinner <1 In Russe, Russian style of dinner-giving, is a most 
enjoyable meal when well served, for the reason that the host and 
hostess are left at full liberty to entertain their guests by joining 
freely in the conversation; but no method of serving a dinner is 
more dependent on the efficiency of servants — ordinary domestics 
are not equal to the task. 

The order of guests going in to dinner is the same in general 
society — viz., the lady of the house or her representative takes the 
head of tiie table, and the master of the house the same. The 
most distinguished lady of the company is conducted to the table 
by the master, and is placed at his right hand, having on his left 
the lady next in distinction. The same rule is observed with regard 
to the lady of the house, the two gentlemen it is designed to honor 
most, are placed on her left and right hand. 

During the interval that elapses between the assembling of the 
company and going to table, the hostess quietly designates to the 
gentlemen guests the ladies whom she wishes them to conduct 



474 THE DINING ROOM. 

to the dining-room. If it should happen that the guests are 
strangers to each other, an introduction from the hostess is neces- 
sary. When dinner is announced, the host should rise and offer 
his arm to the lady he is to lead to the dining-room, and the rest of 
the company follow his example. The last to leave the drawing- 
room are the hostess and the gentleman who escorts her. The 
reason is obvious: It is the duty of the lady of the house to see all 
her guests on their way to the dining-room before she leaves the 
drawing-room herself. It greatly facilitates the ease of seating 
company, when the names of guests are placed in their plates, as it 
is by no means an easy task for a hostess to remember the exact 
place assigned to each guest without some aid of this kind. 

The butler calls the names and seats the guests. Serving a din- 
ner occupies two hours or more. Strong black coffee, without 
sugar or milk, is served after dessert, and half an hour later, tea is 
served in the drawing-room. 

A dinner consists of courses, removes, entrees, and dessert; but 
removes now are separate courses. We append a bill of fare of 
the different courses in the order in which they should be served. 
It may prove suggestive, and can be varied according to preference 
and the season of the year. 

Courses. 

Oysters on the half shell. 
Mock Turtle Soup. 
Sherry. Fish, Olives, Sliced Cucumbers. 

Mushrooms on Toatt. 

Entrees. 

Champagne. Filet dc Bceuf. 

Potatoes a la Reine, Green Pease. 
Boiled Turkey, Oyster Sauce. 
Potatoes a la Duchess, Celery Salad. 
Red wines. Haunch Venison. 

Claret. Currant Jelly, Lettuce Salad. 



THE DINING ROOM. 475 

Quail on Toast. 

Potato Croquettes, Dressed Salad. 

Chicken Salad. 

PSte of Sweetbreads, Cheese Crackers. 

Bisque. 
Brown Pudding with Brandy Sauce. 

Dessert. 

Sherry. Pastry. 

Ices, Wine, Jellies, Fruits. 

Nuts, Raisins, Bon-Bons. 

Cake, Confectionery. 

Black Coffee. 

Cordials. 

A Word to the Guest. 

When using the knife and fork, never embrace the air with your 
elbows, to the annoyance of your neighbors. 

Never make a clattering noise with either knife or foi'k. The fork 
is held in the right hand, and is used like a spoon, but the end only 
is proper to convey food. People in good society do not devour 
their food, nor fill their mouth to such an extent that speaking is 
impossible. It is ill-mannered to load the fork with different kinds 
of vegetables at the same time. Pease should be taken separately, 
then potatoes, and so on. Never play with your food or dissect it 
with knife or fork, as if you expected to find something. Pie and 
cheese are eaten with a fork ; the cheese is broken with a fork and 
can then be taken lightly in the fingers. Fish is eaten with the fork 
only; the old fashion of holding a bit of bread in the left hand to 
asssist the fork is now obsolete. 

To point your fork at any dish or object is very ill-bred, as it is 
to twirl it in conversation; to touch a piece of bread with it is also 
a direct breach of table etiquette. To rap on your goblet or wine 
glass with it is equally improper. 



476 THE DINING ROOM. 

Jelly, asparagus, game dressing, melted butter, and sauces are 
conveyed to the mouth on the fork, jelly and sauces with the 
meats. 

Never scrape your plate with either knife or fork. Elegant 
eaters are noiseless in the use of table cutlery. 

Finger-!)owls are served at all well-appointed dinner tables, and 
are used merely to dip the extreme tips of the fingers in before 
drying them on a napkin. It is quite customary, when finger-bowls 
are not on the table, to use the goblet, but the practice i§ not in 
accordance with etiquette. Colored or decorated bowls are most in 
favor now. A slice of lemon or a few drops of perfume added to 
the water makes it refreshing to the lips and palms of thj hands; 
doyleys are used to wipe the finger-tips on. 

It is almost impossible to commit any dangerous rudeness with 
the spoon, as with the fork and knife; but there are little observ- 
ances in handling it which belong to grades of society, and which 
distinguish the person using it, as either well versed or deficient 
in the rules of table etiquette. 

It is both convenient and customary to take soup from the side 
of the spoon. Tea is sipped in the same way. The point of the 
spoon should never be turned to the mouth. Never drink tea or 
coffee from a cup with a spoon in it; lay the spoon in the saucer, if 
there is one, if not, the liquid must be sipped with the spoon; it 
should never be taken from the tea to use in ices or sweetmeats. 
If a second spoon is not served, ask the waiter for one in a quiet 
way. At dinners a spoon is sometimes placed with the fork to 
assist in using sauces, or liquid entrees; but it should not be used 
for anything where the service of a fork will answer. 

The napkin should be laid in the lap, never tucked under the 
chin, or spread across the breast. A gentleman should lay it across 
the right knee; when he has finished, he lays it without folding 
beside his plate. As soon as a guest is seated at table, he removes 
his gloves, and unfolds the table napkin partially without any 
awkward flourishes, and spreads it on his knee. This is done while 



THE DINING ROOM. 477 

conversing with his partner, or his vis-d-vis in a matter-of-fact 
manner. Nothing else is touched until the soup is served. Never 
use the table napkin to wipe off the face. 

In handling a wine glass it should be taken by the stem, with 
two or three fingers delicately poised, and sipped quietly. No well- 
bred person drinks wine at the dinner table; it is only sipped, and 
the glass should never be emptied. 

When a gentleman asks a lady to take wine, he expects her to 
name the kind she prefers, of which he also will partake. It is not 
proper to say, port wine, sherry wine, or Madeira wine. It is 
simply spoken of as port, sherry, or Madeira. 

It is now a disputed question whether waiters should be thanked 
by guests when served or not, but this has always been observed in 
the best society, either verbally, or by a slight inclination of the 
Lead. 

Home Dinner. 

The neatness and taste with which a dinner table is arranged 
adds greatly to the comfort of a dinner. Excessive display at a 
private dinner table is not in good taste, and renders the meal 
uncomfortable. Great edifices of plated ware, huge bouquets and 
flower-stands, have given place to beautiful china, and dainty 
bouquets, and fragile cut-glasses, and low banks of mosses and 
ferns. 

All the napkins used should be folded square and of pure white, 
monograms and colored markings being considered vulgar. 

If any garnishing is done, parsley, celery, fine lettuce, water- 
cress, and slices of lemon may be used. The use of the large castor 
is becoming almost obsolete. The castor is seldom used now, but 
simply a vinegar and oil cruet. 

The table may be laid as previously described. The plates may 
be placed in a pile in front of the carver or one at each seat. The 
latter is more generally observed. When the glasses are filled and 
the bread handed around and only the family are present, the 



478 THE DIXIXG ROOM. 

services of waiters are dispensed with until the course is to be 
removed and the dessert is placed on the table. 

A dinner service consists of a covered soup-tureen and ladle, soup 
plates, dining plates, fish and meat platters, deep vegetable dishes 
with covers, covered casseroles, gravy-tureen, salad bowl, sauce- 
boat, cheese tray, different kinds of dessert dishes, etc. 

White dishes are out of style for private tables. Dresden, French 
china, Japanese, are the wares now in vogue; these are exceedingly 
handsome, and can be purchased at very reasonable prices, also the 
Matt blue, Doric blue, coral, and flowing blue porcelains, are used 
very much, chiefly for breakfast sets. 

Some kind of salad should be placed on the table with the roast, 
and cheese accompanies the dessert. No table is considered en r^gle 
if wanting the orthodox epergne. On either side toward the ends 
of the table, put well-filled celery glasses, and disperse about the 
table small dishes of chow-chow, jellies, pickles, crackers, and any- 
thing in keeping that fancy may suggest. 

At a private dinner table a number of side dishes are dispensed 
with, as this disturbs the harmony of the table. Although it is the 
common practice to hand dishes around and let each guest help 
himself to what he pleases, yet there are some housewives who like 
to have everything on a side-table, and dispense the side dishes 
themselves; but it looks more hospitable and less formal to see the 
host and hostess at the table enjoying themselves with the guests. 
An ideal hostess is one who presides without any of the unpleasant 
flurry and nervousness peculiar to some women. She must be 
unconscious of all except her guests and their individual comforts; 
" Mistress of herself, though china fall." 

Bread for the dinner table should be cut in thick squares, if rolls 
are not used, and placed in the fold of the napkin, or it is quite 
customary to place it on the table in a bread tray. Soup is tbe 
flrst course. All should accept it, even if they let it remain 
untouched, so that the servant will not serve one before the rest. 
Fish follows soup, which may be declined if one chooses, and after 



THE DINING ROOM. 479 

this come the meats and side dishes. These rules are safe to 
follow, being the rules generally observed both in Europe and 
America. 

The head of the table is generally the position farthest from the 
door, and the foot is opposite. The mistress of the house sits at 
the head of the table and the master at the foot, with the sideboard 
at his back. 

If two kinds of soups are given, the clear or white soup is placed 
opposite the hostess. Boiled meats and puddings are likewise 
placed opposite her, and the roasts, joints, and pastry are served by 
the host. 

Wliatever sauces, vegetables, or accompanying relishes, may be 
desired, with certain meats, should be placed on the table, previous 
to the principal dish itself, at small dinners — thus if mock turtle 
soup hs in question, cut lemons should be placed previously on the 
table; if roast beef, horse-radish dressed; if lamb, mint sauce; if 
l)oiled turkey, oyster sauce; if roast turkey, cranberry sauce, etc., 
with appropriate gravies. In removing dishes from the table the 
accessories or small dishes are taken away first and the principal 
dish last. 

It is no longer considered necessary, even at the plainest dinners, 
to have more than one dish on the table at a time — unless the party 
is large. 

According to the present custom, fish is not placed on the table 
till the soup is removed; and the joints are not kept waiting under 
cover as formerly, till the made dishes are handed round. In these 
later days, each dish with its accompanying vegetables and gravies 
constitutes a course. The plan is very sensible, and tends greatly 
to the successful production and enhanced enjoyment of every kind 
of dish. Custom now only sanctions two kinds of vegetables with 
each dish. 

A word to the uninitiated: From an eminent writer on dinner- 
giving: " Give dinners within your means. Do not make experi- 
ments. Either use the dishes in which you excel, or engage a good 



480 THE DINING ROOM. 

cook to give you a variety. Never apologize for a dish; if it is not 
good keep it off the table. Always invite people of congenial 
tastes and friendly feelings. Do not give large parties if you want 
your guests to enjoy themselves. In tlie arrangement of the table 
a spotless cloth, clear glasses, and shining cutlery, feasts the sight 
before the substantial meal begins." 

Coffees ajstd Luncheons. 

Coffees, or afternoon receptions, as they are now called, are very 
fashionable of late, and are very charming in forming social enter- 
tainments, and have been in great demand during the past season 
amono- ladies. The custom {Coffee Kkitch) has been hitherto con- 
fined to the Jewish and German ladies, who entertain afternoon 
callers with coffee, cake (Kitchen), and ices. Of late, the custom 
has been adopted by the American ladies, and sometimes is carried 
on on a very grand scale. 

The term kettledrum, or afternoon reception, is used for the 
formal invitation, which is written or engraved on a large square 
card, embellished in one corner with some appropriate design, such 
as a coffee urn, cup and saucer, or a wonderful fat-looking teapot 
hospitably steaming. The form of wording is generally thus: 

-e4 



Thursday, February 14. 
jfi Cruickshanh Lane. Coff^ «< ■? o'clock. 



Saturday, Dec. 3. 
S8 Spedina Ave. Tea at fy o'clock. 

Gentlemen are sometimes included in the invitations. Artists, 
authors, musicians, and literary savants; but they should not be 
invited in any professional sense for the purpose of entertaining 
the guests. It is not in good taste to urge people to sing, play, or 
read at such gatherings, when it is their business to do these things 



THE DINING ROOM. 481 

in public. They are supposed to attend for recreation and pleasure. 
It is not well mannered for one guest to invite or urge another 
guest to play, sing, or read. All such requests should come from 
the ho itess. 

At a kettledrum, the time is passed in greeting friends, discon- 
nected fragments of conversation, listening to music, or recitations, 
and, the best of all, in partaking of good cheer from the groaning 
refreshment table. 

The table should be laid out in good taste, with graceful flowers, 
elegant china, and good eatables. 

At one kettledrum,, they drink coffee or chocolate, at another 
tea, and sometimes beef tea is also served, but this is optional with 
the hostess. The menu generally consists of salads, bisque, sweet- 
breads, oyster pates (these are served on paper shells), pickles, 
tongue, biscuits, cakes, with a full accompaniment of fruits, bon- 
bons, and ices. 

At these receptions no two pieces of china should be alike, and 
when every piece is of different style and pattern, the china is con- 
sidei'ed a perfect success. Whole sets of china can be purchased 
(in these aesthetic days) all in odd pieces. 

Guests, if seated, eat at small tables, which are served from the 
large one ; but when the^hostess wishes to be more formal, tlie 
guests eat from the large table, while standing. The bonnets are 
not discarded and only one hand is ungloved. The experienced 
guest hardly ever remains more than an hour, when she makes her 
adieux to the members of the family, and drops in, after a day or 
two, to make a ceremonious call of a few minutes. The dress worn 
at an afternoon reception should consist of a calling costume. 

Evening receptions are conducted on the same principle, with the 
exception of the dress being more conventional, the carriage dress 
being usually worn. 

Gentlemen wear dress-coats, light trousers, and light kids. Good 
music is generally furnished, and occasionally impromptu dancing 
is engaged in. The guests go into the dining-room in couples or 

31 



482 THE DINING ROOM. 

groups, while the reception lasts, which is usually from eight to 
eleven. 

The form of the card has the name of the hostess and the lady 
who receives with her, or any lady guest stopping at her house, and 
the guest who cannot attend will send regrets, if the card bear^ the 
letters " R. S. V. P." {liepondez s'il vous plait) in the corner; but 
if they are omitted, the invited guest will simply enclose a card in 
an envelope and send it. 

Luncheons. 

Invitations to luncheons are less formal than those to a dinner, 
but should be answered as readily, so that the hostess may be 
assured of her number of guests. Ladies go in elegant street dress, 
with the addition of gay bonnets and fresh gloves. Knots of 
natural flowers^ such as Jacque, and Bon Selene roses, Boston buds. 
The eesthetic Sunflower and Tiger lily are worn in accordance with 
the present custom of floral decorations. 

At an important luncheon, the bonnet; but not the gloves are 
retained. Vv here the guests are all well acquainted, a pleasant and 
enjoyable affair is passed. 

One waiter, if experienced, should be enough for a small lunch 
party, as the hostess and young ladies of the house always assist 
in serving guests on such occasions. 

The table should be elegantly laid out and dressed appropriately 
with seasonable flowers, roses, if it is in June; autumn leaves and 
flowers in the fall; and exotics in mid-winter; small flat crosses of 
croquelle glass, half moons, stars, and lucky horse-shoes, may be 
placed on the table corners, filled with cut flowers. In the center 
an elaborate pihce de resistance of either fruit or flowers, or both 
mingled artistically. The bill of fare for an elegant luncheon is 
varied with the season; but the following may prove very sug- 
gestive: . 

Raw Oysters on half shell. 

Brouillon in cups. . 

SherrJ^ 

Chicken in scallop shells. 



THE DINING ROOM. 483 

Celery Salad, Champagne. 

Fried Oysters garnished with Chow-Chow. 

Potato Croquettes. 

French Pease. 

Sweetbreads with Tomato Sauce. 

Cream Cheese and Toasted Biscuit. 

Bisque in shells. 

Chocolate with Whipped Cream. 

Wine Jellies, Harlequin. 

Fruit. 

Confectionery. 

Fancy Cakes. 

Luncheon, when handed around to the guests, is much simpler, 
-consisting of cups of coffee or chocolate, with sliced cold meats, 
olives, cake and fruit, ices and bon-bons. 

Menu fob Company Dinners. 



JANUARY. 

Oysters on the half shell. 

Julienne Soup. 

Halibut 3, la Royale. Roast Turkey, Cranberry Sauce. 

Potatoes 3. la Duchess. Celery. 

Jugged Rabbit. Roast Beef. 

French Beans Sautes. Salad. 

Crackers and Cheese. 

Mince Pie. Bisque Cream. Fruit. Coffee. 



FEBRUARY. 

Oysters on the half shell. 

Turtle Soup. 

Boiled Cod, Sauce Hollandaise. Stewed Pigeons 

Potatoes in Jackets. Green Pease. 

Roast Duck. Filet de Boeuf. Celery Stewed. 

Salad. 

Cheese and Wafers. Cabinet Pudding. 

Harlequin. Cream. Fruit. Coffee. ♦ 



4S4 



THE DIXING ROOM. 



MARCH. 
Clear Soup. 
Ovster Pie. Smothered Chicken. 

Celery. 
Ycnison Steaks. 
Lettuce Salad. 

Crackers and Cheese. 
Turret Cream. Fruit. 



Green Pease. 



Beef a la Mode. 
Baked Tomatoes. 
Sliced Apple Pie. 

Black Coffee. 



APRIL. 

Oysters on the half shell. 

Mock Turtle Soup. 

Baked Shad. Pute of Sweetbreads. 

Spinach and Eggs. Sweet Potatoes. 

Snipe on Toa^t. Celery. 

Boiled Leg of Mutton. Caper Sauce. Salad. 

Scalloped Cauliflower. 

Pudding. Lemon Ice. Fruit. Coffee. 



MAY. 

Noodle Soup. 

BoUed Bass, with Mushrooms. Roast Sweetbreads. 

Boiled Sweet Potatoes. Green Pease. 

Broiled Squabs Roast Lamb, Mint Sauce. 

Asparagus on Toast. Tomato Salad. 

Strawberry Short-cake and Cream. 

Chocolate Blanc Mange. Fruit and Ices. Cafe Moie. 



JUXE. 
Green Pea Soup. 



BoUed Salmon. 

Potatoes a la Reine. 
Broiled Chickens. 

Mushrooms on Toast. 



Lamb Chops. 
Stuffed Tomatoes. 
Beef Tongue. 
Green Pea>e. 



Snow Custard. Ices. Fruit and Dessert. Strawberries. Coffee. 



THE DDvDsG ROOiL 



485 



JTLY. 
Soup. 



Broiled Mackerel, . 

Raw Cucumbers. 
Salmi of Ducks. 
Boiled Corn. 

Raspberry Pie. 



Fried Chicken. 
Salad. 
Roast Beef. 
Zjs'ew Potatoes. 
Bisque. 



Crackers and Cheese. 



Fruit 



Coffee. 





AUGUST. 






Clear Soup. 




FiUets of Halibut. 




Potatoes a la Reine. 


Chicken Pate. 




Devileil Tomatoes. 


Broiled "Woodcock. 




Boiled Tongue. 


Green Pea.se. 


Stuffed Egg Plant. 


Peach Pie. Melons. 


Crackers and Cheese. Ices. Coffee. 



SEPTEMBEPw. 

Raw Oysters. 

Baked Fish. Carserole of Rice, with Chicken and Tongue. 

Pototoes au :Maitre d'HotcL Deviled Crabs. 

Mock Quails. Roast Lamb. 

Spinach a la Creme. Salad. Cream Squash. 

Pudding. Peach Ice-Cream. Coffee. Fruit. 



OCTOBER, 

Raw Oysters. 

Mock Tiu-tle Soup. 

Oyster Pate. Fricassee of Calf's Tongue. 

g^la(l ' Potatoes a la Duchess. 

Chickens and Mushrooms. 

Roast Beef and Yorkshire Pudding. 
Creamed Cauliflower. Sweet Potatoes, 

Amber Pudding. Sponge Cake. 

Fruit. Bon-Bons. Ices. Caf e Xoir. 



486 THE DINING ROOM. 

NOVEMBER. 

Chicken and Cream Soup. 

Panned Oysters. Roast Turkey, Cranberry Sauce^ 

Celery Salad Potatoes d la Reine. 

Fricassee of Grouse. Roast Saddle of Mutton. 

Potatoes a la Duchess. Salsify Saute. 

Sliced Bread pnd Butter. Apple Meringue Pie. 

Tartlets. Wine Jellies. Bon-Bons, Ices. Coffee^ 



DECEMBER. 

Oysters on the half shell. 

Mock Turtle Soup. 

Lobster Croquettes. Stewed Pigeons. 

Potatoes a la Reine. Lima Beans. 

Boiled Turkey with Oyster Sauce. 

Roast Haunch of Venison. Potatoes a la Duchess. 

Currant Jelly. Lettuce Salad. Green Pease. 

Boiled Beef Tongue. Sauce Piquant. 

Sweet Potatoes. Oyster Salad. 

Roast Duck. 

Chicken Salad. Potato Chips. 

Quail on Toast. Crackers and Cheese. 

Mince Pie. Wine Jellies. Bisque Cream. 

Fruits and Ices, Bon-Bons. Coffee. 

Garnishing. Christmas Holly. 

Allowance of Supplies for an Entertainment. 

In inviting guests, it is safe to calculate that out of one hundred 
and fifty, but two-thirds of the number will be present. If five 
hundred are invited, not more than three hundred can be counted 
upon as accepting. 

Allow one quart of oysters to every three persons present. Five 
chickens (or, what is better, a ten-pound turkey, boiled and minced), 
and fifteen heads of celery, are enough for chicken salad for fifty 
guests ; one gallon of ice-cream to every twenty guests ; one 
hundred and thirty sandwiches for one hundred guests; and six to 



THE DINING ROOM. 487 

ten quarts of wine jelly for each hundred. For a company of 
twenty, allow three chickens for salad; one hundred pickled 
oysters; two moulds of Charlotte Russe; one gallon of cream; and 
four dozen biscuits. 

Cold Lunches foe Washing Days, or Other Days of Extra 

Labor. 
LuNcn, No. 1. — Cold corned beef, nicely sliced, baked potatoes, bread, but- 
ter, aud pickles. Dessert — mince pie and cheese. 

Lunch. No. 2. — Chicken pie, baked potatoes, rolled bread or biscuit. 
Dessert — cuke and custard. 

Lunch, No. 3. — First course: Raw oysters, with lemon and crackers. 
Second course: Cold veal, witli jelly and Saratoga potatoes; bread and butter. 
Dessert — cherry pie wiih cheese. 

Lunch, No. 4. — Casserole of fish, with mushroom catsup, bread and butter. 
Dessert — Pie aud cheese. 

Economical Dinners. 

Sunday. — Roast Beef, potatoes, and greens. Dessert — pudding, or pie, 
cheese. 
Monday. — Hashed beef, potatoes, and bread pudding. 
TuESD.\Y. — Broiled beef, vegetables, apple pudding, 

Wednesday. — Boiled pork, beans, potatoes, greens, and pie or rice pudding. 
Thursday. — Roast or broiled fowl, cabbage, potatoes, lemon pie, cheese. 
yRiD\Y. — Fish, potato croquettes, escalloped tomatoes, pudding. 

Saturd.\y. — A la mode beef, potatoes, yegetables, suet pudding and mince 
pie, cheese. 



CHAPTER XXXIX. 

THE AQUARIUM. 

^A4W/ ITAT happens, when we put half a dozen goldfish in a globe? 
A')T/'o, The fishes gulp in water and expel it at the gills.- As it 
^^- passes through the gills, whatever free oxygen the water 
contains is absorbed, and carbonic acid given oflF in its place; 
and in course of time, the free oxygen of the Avater is exhausted, 
the water becomes stale, and at last poisonous, from excess of car- 
bonic acid. If the water is not changed, the fishes come to the 
surface and gulp atmospheric air. But though they naturally 
breathe air (oxygen) as we do, yet they are formed to extract it 
from the water; and when compelled to take air from the surface 
the gills, or lungs, soon get inflamed, and death at last j^uts an end 
to their sufferings. Now, if a fish globe be not over-crowded Avith 
fislies, we have only to throw in a goodly handful of some water 
weed, such as the Brook Starwort, for instance, and a new set of 
chemical operations commences at once, and it becomes ininecessary 
to change the water. The reason of this is easily explained. Plants 
a,bsorb oxygen as animals do; but they also absorb carbonic acud, 
and from the carbonic acid thus absoi'bed they remove the pure 
carbon, and convert it into vegetable tissue, giving out the free 
oxygen either to the water or the air, as the case may be. Hence, 
in a vessel containing water-plants in a state of healthy growth, the 
plants exhale more oxygen than they absorb, and thus replace that 
which the fishes require for maintaining healthy respiration. Any 
one who will observe the plants in an aquarium, when the sun 
shines through the tank, will see the leave;: studded with bright 
beads, some of them sending up continuous streams of minute 



THE AQUARIUM. 



489 



bubbles. These beads and bubbles are pure oxygen, which the 
plants distil from the water itself, in order to obtain its hydrogen. 




and from carbonic acid, in order to obtain its carbon. Thus the 
water, if the due proportion of its animal and vegetable tenants be 
observed, need never be ch-^nged. 




490 THE AQUARIUM. 

This is the true Aquarium, which aims to imitate the balance 
of Nature. By this balance the whole organic world is kept living 

and healthy. For animals are 
dependent upon the vegetable 
kingdom not only for all their 
food, but also for the purification 
of the air, which they all breathe, 
either in the atmosphere or in the 
water. The divine simplicity of 
this stupendous scheme may well 
challenge our admiration. Each living thing, animal or plant, uses 
what the other rejects, and gives back to the air what the other 
needs. 

The balance must be perfect, or all life must expire, and vanish, 
from the earth. This is the balance which we imitate in the aqua- 
rium. It is the whole law of life, the whole scheme of nature, the 
whole equilibrium of our organic world, inclosed in a bottle. 

When we speak of an aquarium, we mean a vessel holding from 
eight to thirty gallons of water. A large tank should be about two 
feet long by eighteen inches wide and eighteen inches deejD, and 
holding about twenty gallons. Smaller and very pretty tanks may 
be made fifteen inches long by twelve inches wide and twelve deep. 
Great variety in form and elegance may be adapted to various 
situations. 

Any vessel that will hold water can, of course, be readily con- 
verted into an aquai'iuni. But as we want a clear view of the con- 
tents at all times, glass is the best material, and since glass globes 
refract the light irregularly and magnify and distort whatever is 
within them, we shall find an advantage in having the sides parallel 
and the form rectangular. As the weight of the aquarium, when 
filled with water, is enormous — far more than we should at first 
imagine — it follows that it must be capable of resisting pressure 
both from above and from within. The floor and stand, the frame 
and joints, must be strong and compact, and the walls of plate or 



THE AQUARIUM. 



491 




thick crown glass. The bottom should be of slate; and if it is 
designed to attach arches of rock-work inside to the ends, they, too, 
should be of slate, as cement will not stick to glass. The frame 
should be iron, zinc, or well-turned wood; the joints closed with 
white lead putty; the front and back of glass. There is one objec- 
tion to having the side 
which faces the light 
of transparent glass, 
and that is that it 
transmits too much 
glare of sunlight for 
the health of the ani- 
mals. In Nature's aquarium the light enters only from above, and 
the fish and, delicate creatures have always, even then, the shady 
fronds of aquatic plants or the shelter of rocks — as well as the 
power of seeking greater depths of water, where the light is less — 
to protect themselves from too intense a sunshine. It is, therefore, 
sometimes desirable to have thS window side of the aquarium made 
of glass stained of a green color. It is desirable that all aquarial 
tanks should have a movable glass cover to protect them from dust, 
impui'e gases, and smoke. 

The tank being prepared and well seasoned by being kept several 
weeks alternately full and empty, and exposed to the sun and air 
so that all paint, oil, varnish, tannin, etc., may be wholly removed; 
the next thing is to arrange the bottom and plant it. Some rough 

fragments of rock, free 
from iron or other 
metals that stain the 
water, may be built 
into an arch with ce- 
ment, or piled up in 
any shape to suit the 
fancy. The bottom should be composed entirely of pebbles, well 




492 THE AQUARIUM. 

washed. Common silver sand, washed until the water can be 
poured through it quite clear, is also suitable. 

Mould, or soil adapted to ordinary vegetation, is not necessary 
to the aquatic plants, and is, moreover, worse than useless, since it 
necessitates the frequent changing of the water for some time, in 
order to get rid of the soluble vegetable matter, and promotes the 
growth of conf ervse and other low forms of vegetation, which are 
obnoxious. Aquatic plants of all kinds have been found to root 
freely and flourish in pebbles alone, if their roots be covered. The 
plants should be carefully cleared of all dead parts; the roots 
attached to a small stone, or laid on the bottom and covered with a 
layer of pebbles and sand. 

The bottom being planted, the water may be introduced through 
a watering-pot, or poured against the side of the tank, so as to 
avoid any violent agitation of the bottom. The water should be 
pure and bright. River water is best; spring water will do, but 
must be softened by the plants for some days before the fishes ai-e 
put in. 

Sunshine is good for the tank at all seasons of the year. The 
fresh requires more than the salt-water aquarium. The amount of 
oxygen given off by the plants, and hence their growth and the 
sprightliness of the fishes, are very much increased while the sun 
is shining on them. 

There are two kinds of aquaria, the fresh and salt water; the one 
fitted for the plants and animals of jjonds and rivers; the other for 
the less known tenants of the sea. They are best described as the 
River and the Marine Aquarium, as they diffi^r somewhat from each 
other. We shall speak first of the fresh-water aquarium. 

In selecting plants for the aquarium, some regard is to be paid to 
the amount of oxygen they will evolve, and to their hardiness, as 
well as to their beauty. AVhen it is desired to introduce the 'fishes 
without Availing long for the plants to get settled and to have given 
off a good supply of oxygen, there is no plant more useful than the 
Brook Starwort. It is necessary to get a good su])ply, and pick off 



THE AQUARIUM. 493 

the green heads, with four or six inches only of stem; wash them 
clean, and throw them into the tank without ])lanting. They 
spread over the surface, forming a rich green ceiling, grow freely, 
and last for months. They are continually throwing out new roots 
and shoots, and create abundance of oxygen. Whenever desired, 
they can be got rid of by simply lifting them out. 

The Tape Grass, common in all our ponds, is essential to every 
fresh-water tank. It must be grown as a bottom plant, and 
flourishes only when rooted. 

The Nitella is another pleasing variety. The "Water-Crowfoot is 
to be found in almost every pond in bloom by the middle of May, 
and continues so into the autumn. It is of the buttercup family, 
and may be known as a white buttercup with a yellow center. The 
floating leaves are fleshy, the lower one finely cut. It must be very 
carefully washed, and planted fi'om a good joint, allowing length 
enough of stem to reach the surface. Some of the Iblossom heads 
may also be sprinkled over the surface, where they will live and 
bloom all through the summer. 

The Frog's Bit, the Water Plantain and the Water-Cress are also 
easily obtained, hardy and useful as well as pleasing. Many rarer 
and more showy varieties may be cultivated; we have given only 
the most common and essential. All the varieties of Chard are 
interesting to the microscopist, as showing the phenomenon of the 
circulation of the sap or cyclosis. 

Of the living tenants of the aquarium, those most interesting, as 
well as of the highest organization, are the fishes. And among 
fishes, the carp family are the best adapted to our purpose; for we 
must select those which are both hardy and tamable. The Prus- 
sian carp is one of the best; it will survive even if the water should 
accidentally become almost exhausted of oxygen. It may be taught 
also to feed from the hand. None of the carp are very carnivorous. 
The goldfish is one of the most ornamental objects in an aquarium. 
But the minnow is the jolliest little fish in the tank. He is the life 
of the collection, and will survive the severest trials of heat 



49-i THE AQUARIUM. 

and cold. The ohub, a common tenant of our ponds, is also a good 
subject for domestication. The tench and loach are very interest- 
ing, but also very delicate. Among the spiny-finned fishes, the 
stickle-backs are the prettiest, but so savage that they often occa- 
sion much mischief. For a vessel containing twelve gallons the 
following selection of livestock is among those recommended: Three 
Gold Carp, three Prussian Carp, two Perch, four large Loach, a 
dozen Minnows, six Bleak, and two dozen Planorbis. Some varie- 
ties of the Water-Beetles, or Water-Spiders, which the fishes do not 
eat, may also well be added. The Newt, too, is attractive and 
harmless. 

All may go on well, and the water remain clear; but after the 
tank has been established several weeks, the inner sides of the glass 
will show a green tinge, which soon increases and interferes with 
the view. This is owing to the growth of a minute confervoid 
vegetation, Avhich must be kept down. For this purpose the snail 
is the natural remedy, being the ready scavenger of all such nui- 
sances. Snails cling to the sides and clean away and consume all 
such vegetable growth. The Lymnea is among the most efficient, 
but unfortunately is destructive, by eating holes in the young 
fronds of the larger plants, and thus injuring their appearance. To 
this objection some other variety of snails are not open. The 
Paludina and Planoi-bis are the only kinds which are trustworthy. 
The former is a handsome snail, with a bronze-tint globular shell; 
the latter has a spiral form. These will readily reduce the vegeta- 
tion. And to preserve the crystal clearness of the water, some 
Mussels may be allowed to burrow in the sand, where they will 
perform the office of animated filters. They strain off matters held 
in suspension in the water, by means of their siphons and ciliated 
gills. With these precautians a well-balanced tank will long retain 
all the pristine purity of Nature. 

Specimens for the river aquarium may be readily obtained in 
almost any brook or pool, by means of the hand-net or dredge. It 
will be astonishing to see the variety of objects brought up by a 



THE AQUARIUM, 



495 







490 rnv, AQUARIUM. 

su<;(;essfiil haul. Small fish, newts, tad-poles, mollusks, water- 
beetles, worms, sj)i(]ers, and spawn of all kinds will be visible to 
the naked eye, while the microscope will bring out thousands more 
of the most beautiful objects. 

A very different style of appearance and of objects distinguishes 
the salt-water or Marine Aquarium. 

As the greater part of the most curious live stock of the salt 
water aquarium live upon or near the bottom, so the marine tank 
should be more shallow, and allow an uninterrupted view from 
above. Marine creatures are more delicately constituted than fresh 
water ones; and they demand more care, patience, and oversight to 
render the marine aquarium successful. 

Sea-sand and pebbles, washed clean, form the best bottom for the 
salt-water aquarium. It must be recollected that many of the 
marine tenants are burrowers, and require a bottom adapted to 
their habits. Some rock-work is considei-ed essential to afford a 
grateful shelter and concealment to such creatures as are timid by 
nature, and require a spot in which to hide. This is true of many 
fishes. Branches of coral, bedded in cement, may be introduced, 
and form beautiful and natural objects on which plants will climb 
and droop gracefully. 

Sea-water, dipped from the open sea, away from the mouths of 
rivers, is, of course, the best for the marine aquarium. If pure, it 
will bear transportation and loss of time before being put into the 
tank. It may, however, not always be possible to get sea- water, 
particularly for the aquarium remote from the seaboard, and it is, 
therefore, fortunate that artificial sea-water will answer every 
purpose. 

The composition of natural sea-water is, in a thousand parts, 
approximately as follows: Water, 964 parts; Common Salt, 27; 
Chloride of Magnesium, 3.6; Chloride of Potassium, 0.7; Sulphate 
of Magnesia (Epsom Salts), 2; Sulphate of Lime, 1.4; Bromide of 
Magnesium, Carbonate of Lime, etc., .02 to .03 parts. Now the 
Bromide of Magnesium, and Sulphate and Carbonate of Lime, occur 



THE AQUARIUM. 497 

in sncli small quantities that they can be safely omitted in making 
artificial sea-water; and besides, river and spring water always con- 
tain a considerable proportion of lime. Therefore, according to 
Mr. Gosse, we may use the following formula: In every one hun- 
dred parts of the solid ingredients, Common Salt, 81 parts; Epsom 
Salts^ 7 parts; Chloride of Magnesium, 10 parts; Chloride of Potas- 
sium, 2 parts; and of water about 2900 parts, although this must 
be accurately determined by the specific gravity. 

The mixture had better be allowed to stand several days before 
filling the tank; for thus the impurities of the chemicals will settle, 
and the clear liquor can be decanted off. The specific gravity 
should then be tested with the hydrometer, and may safely range 
' from 1026 to 1028, fresh water being 1000. If a quart or two of real 
sea water can be obtained, it is a very useful addition to the mix- 
ture. It may now be introduced into the tank through a filter. 
But no living creature must be introduced until the artificial water 
has been softened and prepared by the growth of the marine plants 
in it for several weeks. Thus, too, it will be oxygenated and ready 
for the oxygen-using tenants. It is a singular fact, that water 
which has been thus prepared, with only four ingredients, will, 
after being a month or more in the aquarium, acquire the other 
constituents Avhich are normally present in minute quantities in the 
natural sea water. It must derive them from the action of the 
plants or animals, or both. Bromine may come from sponges, or 
sea wrack, perhaps. Thus artificial water eventually rights itself. 
The tank having been prepared and seasoned with the same precau- 
tion used for the river aquarium, and having a clear bottom and a 
supply of good water, is now ready for planting. Many beautifully- 
colored and delicately-fringed Algae and sea wracks will be found 
on the rocks at low tide, and will sadly tempt the enthusiast to 
consign their delicate hues to the aquarium. All such temptations 
must be resisted. Green is the only color well adapted for healthy 
and oxygenating growth in the new tank. A small selection of the 
purple or red varieties may perhaps be introduced and successfully 

S2 



498 THE AQUARIUM. 

cultivated at a later day, but they are very delicate; while the 
olives and browns are pretty sure to die and corrupt the water. It 
must be remembered, too, that the Algae are cryptogamous, and 
bear no visible flowers to delight the eye or fancy. Of all marine 
plants the Sea Lettuce is first and best. It has broad light-green 
fronds, and is hardy and a rapid grower, and hence a good giver of 
oxygen. Next to this in looks and usefulness comes the Enter o- 
morpha Compressa, a delicate, grass-like Alga. After a while the 
common Carrageen Moss may be chosen and added. These ought 
to be enough for some months, as it is not safe to add too many at 
once. 

After a few hardy plants are well set and thriving for a week or 
two, and the water is clear and bubbly with oxygen, it will be time 
to look about for the live stock of the marine aquarium. Fishes, 
though most attractive, must be put in last; for as they are of the 
highest vitality, so they require the most oxygen and food, and 
should not be trusted until everything in the tank is well a-going. 
The first tenants should be the hardy varieties of the Sea Anemones. 

The Anemones require but little care; they do not generally need 
feeding, though the Daisy and Plumose Anemone greedily take 
minced mutton or oyster. But as a rule, there are enough infusoria 
for their subsistence; and it is safer not to feed them, as any frag- 
m.ents not consumed will decay, and contaminate the water. 

Next in order of usefulness, hardiness, and adaptability to the 
new aquarium, come the Mollusks. And of these, Snails and 
Periwinkles claim our respectful attention, as the most faithful, 
patient, and necessary scavengers of the confervoid growths, which 
soon obscure the marine aquarium. 

"It is interesting," says Mr. Gosse, "to watch the business-like 
way in which the Periwinkle feeds. At very regular intervals, the 
proboscis, a tube with thick fleshy walls, is turned inside out to a 
certain extent, until a surface, having a silky lustre, is bi'ought into 
contact with the glass. This is the tongue; it is moved with a 
short sweep, and the tubular proboscis infolds its walls again, the 



THE AQUARIUM. 499 

tongue disappearing, and every filament of conferva being carried 
up into the interior from the little area which had been swept. 
The next instant, the foot meanwhile having made a small advance, 
the proboscis unfolds again, the tongue makes another sweep, and 
again the whole is withdrawn; and this proceeds with great regu- 
larity. I can compare the action to nothing so well as to the man- 
ner in which the tongue of an ox licks up the grass of the field, or 
to the action of the mower cutting swath after swath." 

Of Crustacea, the Prawns and the smaller kinds of crabs may be 
admitted to the aquarium, though but sparingly. They are rude, 
noisy, quarrelsome, and somewhat destructive — but, for the same 
reason, amusing tenants of the tank. 

The great class of Zoophytes can be introduced, but many vari- 
eties of them will be found already within the aquarium, in the 
■company of their more bulky neighbors. These peculiar creatures, 
or things, form a boundary where the last gleam of animal life is so 
feeble and flickering as to render it doubtful whether they belong 
to the animal or vegetable kingdom. Agassiz calls them Pi'otozoa 
— Primary Existences. Many of them are microscopic, and belong 
to the class of animalculae called Infusoria. 

A very remarkable quality which the Infusoria possess — one very 
useful for the aquarium, and one which would seem to settle their 
place in the vegetable kingdom — is that they exhale oxygen like 
plants. This has been proved by Liebig, who collected several jars 
of oxygen from tanks containing Infusoria only. 

A piece of honeycomb coral is easily found, and, when well 
selected and placed in the aquarium, may continue to grow there 
by the labors of its living infusorial tenants; they are not unworthy 
rivals of the Madrepores, or deep-sea coral-builders of warmer 
latitudes. The walls of its cells are not more than one-thirtieth of 
an inch in thickness, and each cell has its occupant. So closely 
are they packed, that in an area of one-eighth of an inch square, the 
orifices of forty-five cells can be counted. As these are all double, 
this would give five thousand seven hundred and sixty cells to the 



500 THE AQUARIUM. 

square inch. Now, a moderate-sized specimen will afford, with all 
its convolutions, at least one hundred square inches of wall, which 
would contain a population of five hundred and seventy-six thou- 
sand inhabitants — a very large city. 

Finally come the fishes, many of which are of similar genera ta 
those recommended for the fresh-water tank. The Black Goby 
is familiar, tamable, but voracious; the Gray Mullet is very hardy, 
but also rather savage; the Wrasses are some of the most showy 
fish — called in some parts of the country Gunners — and of these 
the ancient Wrasse, covered with a net-work of vermilion meshes 
on a brown and white ground, is the most elegant. 

Some points of general management are so important, and some 
dangers so imminent, that we cannot pass them by unnoticed. The 
aquarian enthusiast is very apt to be in too great haste to see every- 
thing going on, and commits the common error of trying too many 
things at once. The aquarium must be built up slowly and tenta- 
tively, object by object; plants first, and of the simplest kinds; and 
not until they are well settled, and the water beaded with oxygen 
bubbles, should we think of introducing living creatures — and even 
then only the hardiest kinds of actinias, mollusks, and crabs. All 
delicate animals must be entrusted one by one to their new home, 
and carefully watched for deaths and decay, which, whether arising^ 
from dead plants or animals, ruin everything very quickly, unless 
they be promptly removed. For sulphuretted hydrogen even in 
very minute quantities, is sure death to all these little creatures. 

The emanations from paint and putty are often fatal in new 
tanks. Several weeks' exposure to water, air, and sunlight ia 
necessary to season the new-made aquarium. 

A certain natural density of the sea-water must also be preserved, 
ranging between no wider limits than 1026 and 1028. And in the 
open tank evaporation is constantly deranging this, and must be 
met by a supply from without. As the pure water alone evaporates, 
and the salts and earthy or mineral constituents ai-e left behind, 
two things result: the water remaining becomes constantly more 



THE AQUARIUM. 501 

dense; and this can be remedied only by pure fresh water poured 
in to restore the equilibrium. Hence, the marine aquarium must 
be replenished with fresh water, until the proper specific gravity, 
as indicated by the hydrometer, is restored. 

The aquarium ma)^ be found some morning with a deep and per- 
manent green stain discoloring the water. This unsightly appear- 
ance is owing to the simultaneous development of the spores of 
multitudes of minute Algae and Confervas, and can be obviated by 
passing the water through a charcoal filter. 

When any of the fishes give signs of sickness or suffocation, by 
coming to the surface and gulping air, they may be revived by 
having the water aerated by pouring it out repeatedly from a little 
elevation, or by a syringe. 

The fishes are sometimes distressed, also, Avhen the room gets 
too warm for them. A temperature of sixty degrees is about what 
is required for them. And they will stand cold, many of them, 
even to being frozen with the water into ice, and afterwards revive. 

The degree of light should be carefully regulated by a stained 
glass side or a shade. Yet it must be borne in mind that sunlight 
is indispensable to the free evolution of oxygen by the plants. And 
when the sun is shining on the water, all its occupants appear more 
lively, and the fishes seem intoxicated — as they doubtless are — with 
oxygen. 

A novice is apt to overstock his aquarium. Not more than two 
moderate-sized fishes to a gallon of water is a safe rule. Care, too, 
must be taken to group together those kinds of creatures which are 
not natural enemies, or natural food for each other, or a sad scene 
of devastation and murder will ensue. 

Cleansing cannot always be entrusted to snails. But the sides 
may be scrubbed with a soft swab, made of cotton or wick-yarn. 
Deaths will occasionally take place, and even suicide is said to be 
resorted to by the wicked family of Echinoderms. 

To procure specimens for the aquarium re(^uires some knack and 
knowledge. The sea shore must be haunted, and even the deep sea 



502 THE AQUARIUM. 

explored. At the extreme low water of new or full-moon tides the 
rocks and tide-pools are to be zealously hunted over by the aquarian 
naturalist. Several wide-mouthed bottles and stone jars are neces- 
sary; and wo would repeat, that no plant should be taken unless its 
attachment is preserved. It is often a long and difficult job to get 
some of the Algae with their tender connections severed from the 
hard rock, which must be chopped away with the chisel, and often 
with the blows of the hammer deadened by being struck under 
water. It is by lifting up the overhanging masses of slimy fuel, 
tangles and sea-grass, that we find the delicate varieties, as the 
Chrombus, with its metallic lustre, and the red Algae, or the stony 
Corallina, which delights in the obscurity of shaded pools. 

The sea weeds will be found to be studded with MoUusks, as 
Snails and Periwinkles of many queer varieties. 

Anemones, of the more common kinds, are found clinging to 
smooth stones. Crabs, on the sand, Prawns, Shrimps, Medusa?, and 
fishes of many species, in the little pools which the tide leaves 
behind, and which it will require a sharp eye and a quick hand to 
explore with success. But the rarer forms of Actini, as Star-fishes, 
Sepioles, Madrepores, Annelidse, and Zoophytes, of a thousand 
shapes, live on the bottom, in deep water, and must be captured 
thei'e. 

For this purpose, we must dredge from a boat, under sail. The 
natui'alist's dredge is an improved oyster-dredge, with each of the 
two long sides of the mouth made into a scraping lip of iron. The 
body is made of spun yarn or fishing-line, netted into a small mesh. 
Two long triangles are attached by a hinge to the two short sides 
of the frame, and meeting in front, at some distance from the 
mouth, are connected by a swivel-joint. To this the dragging-rope 
is bent, which must be three times as long, in dredging, as the 
depth of the water. This is fastened to the stern of the boat under 
sail, and thus the bottom is raked of all sorts oi" objects; among- 
which, on emptying the net, many living creatures for the aquarian 
are found. These may be placed temporarily in jars; though 



THE AQUARIUM. 503 

plants, Mollusks, Crustacea, and Actiniae, may be kept and trans- 
mitted long distances packed in layers of moist sea-weed. 

For all this detail, labor, and patient care we may reasonably 
find two great objects: first, the cultivation and advancement of 
natural science; second, the purest delight and healthiest amuse- 
ment. 

In the aquarium we have a most convenient field for the study of 
natural history; to learn the varieties, nature, names, habits, and 
peculiarities of those endless forms of animated existence which 
dwell in the hidden depths of the sea, and at the same time to 
improve our minds by cultivating our powers of observation. 

The pleasure derived from the aquarium comes from the excite- 
ment of finding and collecting specimens, as well as from watching 
the tank itself. There can be no more pleasant accompaniment to 
the sea-side walk of the casual visitor or summer resident of a water- 
ing place, than to search for mai-ine plants and animals among the 
fissures, rocks and tide-pools of the sea-washed beach or cape. 

Nature is always as varied as beautiful. Thousands of strange 
forms sport under the shadow of the brown, waving sea-weeds, or 
among the scarlet fronds of the dulse, which is found growing in 
the little ponds that the inequalities of the beach have retained. It 
is down among the great boulders which the Atlantic piles upon 
our coast, that we find endless varieties of life to fill the aquarium, 
though not those more gorgeous hues which distinguish the tenants 
of the coral reefs on tropical shores. Yet even here nature is 
absolutely infinite; and we shall find ourselves, day after day, 
imitating that botanist who, walking through the same path for a 
month found always a new plant which had escaped his notice 
before. So, too, in exploring the open sea, besides the pleasure of 
sailing along a variegated coast, with sun and blue water, we have 
the constant excitement of unexpected discovery; for, as often as 
we pull up the dredge, some new wonder is revealed. 

Words fail to describe the wonders of the sea. And all that we 
drag from the bottom, all that we admire in the aquarium, are but 



504 THE AQUARIUM. 

a few disconnected specimens of that infinite whole which makes 
up their home. 

So, too, in watching the aquarium itself we shall see endless 
repetitions of those " sea changes " which Shakespeare sang. An- 
cient mythology typified the changing wonders of aquatic Nature, 
as well as the fickleness of the treacherous sea, in those shifting 
deities, Glaucus, Proteus, who tenanted the shore. The one the 
fancy of Ovid metamorphosed from a restless man to a fickle sea 
god; the other assumed so many deceptive shapes to those who 
visited his cave, that his memory has been preserved in the word 
Protean. Such fancies well apply to a part of Nature which shifts 
like the sands, and ranges from the hideous Cuttle-fish and ravenous 
Shark to the delicate Medusa, M'^hose graceful form and trailing 
tentacles float among the waving fronds of colored Algse, like 

" Sabrina fair, 
Under the glassy, cool, translucent wave 
In twisted braid of lilies knitting 
The loose train of her amber-dripping hair," 



CHAPTER XL. 

CARE OF CANARIES. 

m% TUNEFUL, sweet-voiced canary bird is one of the choicest 
^''*' and most delightful pets that a cultured lady can possess. 
It is a source of much "refined pleasure and amusement, and 
well repays the care necessary to make it a hardy, happy and melo- 
dious member of the household. 

The following simple instructions in the care of canaries will be 
found useful to all lovers of the feathered songsters. 

Choosing the Birds. 

Don't be particular as to color; brown or mottled birds often 
prove the best singers. Avoid birds with red eyes; they are deli- 
cate and not easily kept in song. Tameness is not a sign of excel- 
lence; a bird that is moderately shy and spry will be likely to turn 
out best. Look for melody ahd sweetness rather than shrill, loud 
tones, if the canary is intended for a private house. Be sure the 
little fellow's legs and feet are clean and perfect — and when you 
buy a bird, take it home yourself, and not leave it for the dealer 
to send. Thus you will be sure to get the one you select. For 
singing, get a male bird. The sex may be determined in a brood 
containing both male and female, by comparing the birds. The 
male's plumage is brightest in color; his head is larger and longer; 
his body more slender; his neck longer; his legs longer and 
straighter than those of the female, and the feathers about hia 
temples and eyes are brighter than elsewhere upon his body. 

605 



506 CARE OF CANARIES. 

Taming. 
Carry your bird home carefully and gently. Have its cage ready 
and furnished with seed and water. Let it step of its own accord 
out of the temporary cage into its new home. Place a light in 
front of the cage, and without going too near or seeming to watch 
the bird, chirp or whistle to encourage it. The chances are that it 
will begin to sing at once. If it sulks a little at the start, so much 
the better; but if the shyness continues after the first day, catch 
the bird and immerse it in the water of its bath-tub; then leave it 
to itself. In drying and smoothing its feathers it will forget its 
homesickness and make itself comfortable. 

Cages. 
The wire bell-shaped cage is best for song birds. Brass is better 
than painted wire. In addition to the bath-tub and seed-cup, the 
cage should have two or three perches, of cane or hard wood, 
made round and smooth. These should be placed across the cage 
in such positions that one will never be exactly over another to 
catch the litter. Keep the perches clean by frequent washings 
with yellow soap and water, and never return to the cage until 
thoroughly dry. At least twice a week, the bottom of the cage 
must be taken off and washed, and the bottom covered with fine 
sand or gravel. Be careful never to use salt water sand. Never 
hang the cage in a draft of air (as in an open ^vindow), or in the 
hot sun, without protecting the bird by some sort of shelter on the 
windy side and at the top. Xever hang the cage out of doors in 
wet weather. In the winter, never leave the cage in a room with- 
out a fire. Don't leave the care of your bird and cage to servants. 

Baths. 

Let the water be fresh daily. Canaries will not bathe in stale or 

dirty water. The bath-tub should be of such size that it will pass 

easily through the cage door — and it should be removed as soon as 

the bird has bathed. If you have a wire cage with a bottom that 



CARE OF CANARIES. 507 

hooks on, a good plan is to fill the bath-tub and set it on the floor, 

or on an old table. Then unhook the bottom of the cage, and place 

the cage with the bird in it over the bath-tub. The bird will soon 

come down from its perch and use the bath — and when the bottom is 

replaced the cage will be perfectly clean and dry. If you put the 

bath-tub in the cage, dry up all splashes of water after the bird has 

finished bathing. 

Food and Water. 

Simple diet is better for song birds than dainties, like cake, sugar, 
and other " goodies." A mixture of rape and canary, with a little 
hemp seed (less of the latter in summer than in winter). If the 
bird is young the hemp seed should be cracked before using. In 
summer the cage should be supplied with green food, such as 
cabbage, turnip tops, chick-weed, plantain stems, celery, water- 
cress, etc. In winter use a little sweet aj^ple, and occasionally a 
trifle of boiled carrot or cauliflower, without salt. Birds also enjoy 
pieces of water cracker or pilot bread suspended in the cage, and 
particularly a cuttle-fish bone, which is useful to them for the lime 
it contains. The seed box of the cage should be filled at night, for 
the bird's day is from sunrise to sunset and he wants breakfast 
early, before you are up in the morning. Always see that the cup 
is well filled. Birds frequently suffer intolerably from thirst after 
having scattered and wasted the water. 

Breeding Canaries, 
Breeding cages should be of polished wood with one end and one 
side of wire. The floor should be covered with oilcloth or stiff 
paper which can be removed, cleansed and re-sanded as required. 
A small box for nests so fastened that you can take it out at will 
should be placed near the wooden corner of the cage about half 
way up; and material for nest, such as soft moss, wool, feathers, 
new cotton or hair, should be attached loosely to the wires where 
the bird can get them. Canaries pair about the middle of March 
or April. Select a vigorous, handsome pair, and having first kept 
them in separate cages within sight of each other for a few days,. 



508 CARE OF CANARIES. 

put them in the cage. Place the cage in a light, airy room with 
even temperature, and out of draughts of cold air. In case the hen 
forsakes her nest after having laid her full number of eggs and begun 
to sit on them, remove the nest and put in a fresh one and let her 
take a new start. Canaries usually lay from four to six eggs, and 
they sit for thirteen days. AVhila the bird is sitting she should 
have plenty of food; and on the day the hatching is expected, put 
into the cage a little grated bread soaked in water and j^ressed dry, 
and part of a finely-chopped hard-boiled egg should also be put in 
the cage. These viands are for the young birds. They should be 
placed in the cage at night or early in the morning, and great care 
should be taken to change them often enough so that they will not 
get sour. Healthy young birds will look red, and their crops will 
be full. If they seem pale and emaciated, it is time to suspect 
vermin, and you should change the nest at once, smoothing out the 
new one before putting the infants into it by rolling a hot hen's 
egg about in it. When twelve days old the young canaries begin 
to get feathers of their own and help themselves; and when they 
are a month old they may be taken from the parent cage to another 
near at hand and within sight. Their cage should never be without 
green food. Fi-esh hard-boiled eggs and grated bread, dipped in 
water and pressed, is the best food for them. Give them a chance 
to bathe daily; sprinkle them gently with water from a brush if 
they refuse to get into the tub; and let them have as much soft 
(not too hot) sunshine as possible. While in the sun there should 
always be a shady nook in the cage — a leafy branch or two, making 
a trembling shadow, is the best. If possible, let them have plenty 
of green food, and some insects, ants' eggs, etc. When the young 
birds are two weeks old, their parents often begin to get ready to 
prepare for the next brood; and if indications of such a state of 
things are seen, a new nest box and materials should be put in the 
breeding cage. The male will take care of the young birds while 
the mother busies herself with preparations for an increase of 
family. 



CHAPTER XLI. 
FLORICULTURE, 



;N large towns and cities, the houses of the upper classes have 
almost invariably their windows and areas tastefully decorated 
with plants and flowers. The floral profusion which adorns 
the windows and balconies of the wealthy, is generally purchased 
at large expense, and to obtain a similar result by the same means, 
would be impossible for those whose incomes are limited. But this 
is no reason why not only the windows, but also the back yards 
and confined localities about the houses of the lowei', middle, and 
working classes, should be debai-red from the inexpensive adorn- 
ment of living and refreshing foliage, such ag is to be produced by 
climbing and creeping plants. 

An inobtrusive little house, placed in the most uninviting situ- 
ation, with narrow street and city dust, may be rendered pretty and 
attractive, and shielded from the scorching rays of the mid-summer 
sun, with pretty vines — morning glories, scarlet runners, honey- 
suckle, woodbine, and climbing roses; these can be trained around 
the windows, over the doors, and against the walls. 

" I have seen," says Dickens, " a small house, in a dusty street, 
with a bit of garden in front; over its windows and doors pretty 
vines climbed; crimson carnations, bright roses, and honeysuckles, 
lighted up the dark, sad cloud of poverty that hung about the place. 
Though they were of no economical value as food, drink, or cloth- 
ing, they gladdened the minds of the laborers who passed to and 
from their work morning and night." 

509 



510 



FLORICULTURE. 



Trellised Windows. 

Ornamental climbing and creeping plants should be employed to 

some extent in all kinds of gardening, as they furnish an element 

of grace differing widely from, and not attainable by, plants of a 

compact and self-supporting habit. Unquestionably most of these 

plants never appear to such 
advantage as when associ- 
ated with rustic architecture, 
ruins — natural or artificial, 
— or a portion of a garden 
broken up into banks and 
dells, with rock-work intro- 
duced as a characteristic fea- 
ture. Thus employed, and 
allowed to ramble unrestrain- 
edly, they, in a few years, 
attain the appearance of 
free, natural grace that must 
be appreciated by all lovers 
of the beauties of nature. 
[, Nevertheless, there are very 
few of them which may not 
be used in the trimmest and most artificial of gardens, with good 
and in many cases, charming effect. 

The climbers most adapted for a trellised window, such as quick- 
growing ivies, morning-glories (convalonlus major), tall or running 
nasturtium, canary creeper, coboea scandens, etc., are annuals, or 
must be treated as such for employment out of doors — that is, they 
must be raised from seed annually; and the best way to secure an 
early, abundant, and continuous display of bloom, is to sow them 
in pots of nice soil in February or the beginning of March, giving 
them a warm position, and as soon as large enough put them singly 
into five-inch pots; they will then be strong enough for planting 




FLORICULTURE. \ 511 

out in May. When there is not the convenience for doing this, 
they may be sown out of doors, from the middle to the end of 
April, according to the weather. They all want a nice light soil to 
start in when planted out or sown, and should have sunny positions 
and may be employed wherever floriferous climbing plants are 
desired. 

The illustration, Fig. 1, on page 510, shows how, with a few 
simple appliances, a window may be at the same time sheltered 
from the sun and rendered pretty; A, is a frame work of a few 
laths nailed together, which, by means of rings or staples at its two 
upper corners, may be hung upon hooks, driven into the wall, 
daring the summer, and removed during the winter. Its projection 
should be from eighteen inches to two feet. Two or more brackets, 
B B, are fastened on either side of the window sill to receive flower 
pots or boxes, and between these and the frame-work, nails are 
driven into the wall so that copper wire can be fastened upon them 
to form a kind of lozenge-shape trellis- work. The brackets, wires, 
and frame woi'k should all be painted green, and a further improve- 
ment can be made by carrying the wires, as at C, from the top of 
the frame Avork to a hook driven into the wall above. This arrange- 
ment can also be adapted to a doorway. 

Make the boxes six or seven inches deep, the length and width of 
which should fit the brackets, and should be at least twenty inches 
wide. There are many ways of decorating the outside of .boxes, 
and we will give a few that are most generally used, by way of 
suggestion. Some are painted in patterns to imitate tiles. Some 
are covered with oilcloth in small checked and very bright colored 
patterns. Others may be covered with wall paper, in palm trees and 
tropical designs, with the orthodox stork, which seems to be a 
general favorite in the decorative category. The paper may be 
pasted or glued on the box, or, if preferred, tacked on neatly with 
a narrow bordering put around the top, sides and bottom. Others 
are made of rustic work, the interstices being covered with a mix- 
ture of acorns, cones, and ground shells. Cut the acorns lengthwise' 



612 FLORICULTURE. 

and cover the parts to be ornamented with thick furniture varnish, 
glue, or putty, lay the acorns flat side down in any design that 
fancy may suggest, then scatter some cherry pits between, and sif fc 
the powdered shell over all. 

Boxes for stone or gray houses look well made in imitation of 
stone fences. The half shells of horse chestnuts, and whole hick- 
ory-nuts glued on the box in thin, straight rows, one near the top, 
one in the center, and one near the bottom also look well. Fasten 
the tendrils of the common woodbine in a close zigzag; this repre- 
sents a vine; then give the whole a coat of common varnish, and 
sift the sand over all. A box made in this way looks very pretty, 
and stands the weather well. 

Another method of making boxes, is to stain the box, and put 
around the top and bottom a bordering of wall paper, or a small 
wall-paper bordering, to imitate any kinds of wood preferred. 
Give this several coats of varnish and it will stand the most severe 
weather. 

Pretty and durable boxes may be made by splitting small twigs, 
about an inch thick, in two, and fastening them on the box with 
small tacks, in perpendicular strips. If the strips are rough and 
knotty they will look more rustic and much prettier. A grape, or 
any kind of a trailing vine, can be split in halves, and tacked over 
these strips in irregular shape, in imitation of a natural growing 
vine. 

Leaves, berries, and all kinds of shapes that fancy may suggest, 
can be made out of soft putty, into which any colors of paints may 
be mixed to imitate the desired shades. Spread the putty out into 
a thick sheet, and take a natural leaf of the species to be imitated 
for a pattern. Lay the veined or under surface of the leaf on the 
putty, pressing it down with the fingers to get the impression; then 
take the leaf off, and indent the markings deeper in the putty, 
cut the leaf out with a sharp pen-knife, and make the stems and 
tendrils of putty by rolling between the palms of the hands. Fasten 
the putty leaves, stems, and tendrils on the vine with small gimp 



FLORICULTURE. 513 

tacks. When the putty dries it will be as hard and durable as 
wood, and may then receive a coat or two of thick varnish. These 
boxes are meant for out-door use, and may be lined with either 
zinc or tin, if desired; if not, a coat of paint is indispensable. 

Put a thick layer of broken rock in the bottom of the box for 
drainage; over this put a layer of broken bones mixed with minced 
leather; then fill the box with light soil, and set the plants in at 
two or three inches apart, according to the density of the foliage of 
the plants. 

Morning-glories, climbing-roses, Madeira vine, toboea scandens, 
common woodbine, tall nasturtium, and such densely foliaged and 
full-flowering climbers require more space in planting than climbers 
that have scantier foliage, such as the cypress vine, canary creeper, 
etc. 

The morning-glory has full foliage, showy, bell-shaped flowers of 
various briglit colors, is easy of cultui'e, and suitable for covering 
arbors, trellises, old stumps, trees, etc. It is so perfectly hardy as 
to grow in almost any soil, and without care will soon cover the 
most unsightly places if support be given to the vines. The finest of 
noisette, or climbing monthlies, are the Marshal Neil, of yellow, fine 
form, and noted for its exquisite fragrance; James Sprunt, a fine 
bright crimson, valuable as a pillar rose; La Marque, Gen. Wash- 
ington, Caroline Manais, Glorie d'Dijon woodland sprite; these and 
many more belong to the family of climbers. They are well 
adapted for verandas, balconies, trellises, and walls. They thrive 
well in almost any out-door situation. They require a rich soil, two 
parts yellow loam, old field compost, leaf -mould, and sand in equal 
parts. 

The cobaca scandens is a fine, rapid-growing climber, with hand- 
some foliage, and large, bell-shaped flowers, green at first, but 
rapidly changing to a beautiful, deep, violet blue. Seeds should be 
started in clean pots, and in rather dry light soil, as they are rather 
apt to rot in open ground. It makes a beautiful drapery for a trel- 
lised window. 

33 



514 



FLORICULTURE. 



The tall nasturtium is cultivated both for use and ornament. 
Its richly colored orange blossoms serve as a garnish for dishes, the 
young leaves are excellent for salad, and the green seed-pods, pre- 
served in vinegar, make a pickle greatly esteemed by many. It is 
admirably adapted for a window or conservatory in winter, is a 
very rapid grower, and strikes freely from cuttings, but seeds 
sparingly. The flowers are large, trumpet-shaped, and in some 
species, are very brilliant and of many shades, from scarlet to black. 
It is a magnificent climber, running up to twenty or more feet high. 
Its chief glory is in covering arbors, trellis, and rustic Avork. 

Canary vine is a beautiful climber, with its charming little canary- 
colored blossoms bearing a fancied resemblance to a bird with its 

wings flopped. The plant 
has a fine, luxuriant, I'am- 
bling character, and is well 
adapted for window or door 
trellis. It will run twenty 
feet high, and blossom from 
July till hard frost comes. 
The cypress vine is a 
most beautiful and fragile 
looking climber, with deli- 
cate, dark green feathery 
foliage, and an abundance 
of bright star-shaped, rose, 
scarlet, and white blos- 
soms, which, in the bright 
sunshine, present a mass 
of beauty. It is particularly for trellised windows, doors, and 
verandas, and, if trained properly, there is no vine prettier. 

Arbors ajstd Rockeries. 
In .Fig. 3, on page 516, we see a small temporary arbor made 
with pots of climbing plants, placed at a little distance apart, but 




FLORICULTURE. 515 

may, if desired be brought closer together, or there may be two 
rows of them, so as to form a close wall of foliage. The construc- 
tion is veiy simple. A piece of wood is placed across the yard 
from wall to wall, and from the centre of this a hoop is suspended 
by copper wire or strong cord (but the wire is prefei-red) ; from the 
hoop the wires radiate downward and outward to a circle of pots 
placed upon the ground and containing, the climbers. It will be 
seen that the whole of the materials required will cost the merest 
trifle. 

A small yard may also, if desired, be roofed in during the sum- 
mer time by wires drawn across the top and overrun with creepers. 
Arcades and arbors of different forms may be made in the same 
manner, the materials costing but little. The chief outlay required 
is only a little agreeable labor. Temporary arbors are only used in 
ornamenting small gardens. A very effective ornament for a 
limited space is the skeleton of an old umbrella, its handle length- 
ened to a desired height, and placed in the centre of a circle of pots 
containing climbers. The vines will twist in and out through the 
frame in a graceful profusion of leaves and blossoms. The cypress 
vine, canary-bird flower, sweet-pea, nasturtium, and the morning- 
glory in its many gorgeous hues, are well, adapted to this garden 
ornament. Partially decayed tree-stumps, small barrels, and rustic 
■chairs, look exceedingly pretty when mantled with some bright 
flowering members of the creeping family. 

The rustic wall pocket is a late innovation to the gai'den, and is 
a charming acquisition, with its flowing grasses, trailing vines, and 
showy flowers, when placed against some grand old forest tree; but 
as these are rarely to be met with in a small garden, it looks very 
pretty with a pillar support. 

The pocket may be lined with green mosses, and filled with light 
soil and leaf-mold, petunias, oxalis, fuchsias,' geraniums, and plants 
that harmonize in color and foliage, with a bordering of smilax, 
arbutus, fine-leaf ivies, vinca ; any of the trailers are appro- 



516 



FLORICULTURE. 



priate, and a generous sprinkling of woodland ferns makes it "a 
thing of beauty and a joy forever." 

For trellised arbors the Clematis is very desirable, and is a genus 
that furnishes many species and varieties. It has the advantage 
besides many other attractive qualities, of blooming late in summer 
when other flowering vines are generally past their bloom. It holds 
a foremost place among the family of climbers, for it hardiness, 
easy culture, and adaptability to any form of trainino-, and for the 




CREEPERS. 



gorgeous richness of coloring of the flowers of many of the varieties,, 
ranging from pure white to the most intense blue, and various 
shades of purple. They all like a moderately rich soil, which 
should be aided by a top-dressing of manure annually, and applied 
in spring, when the growth commences; they should have an open, 
sunny position, and when so placed that they may be allowed to 
ramble about freely, require no pruning or other attention. When 
used for the decoration of arches, pillars, trellis fans, or arbors, or 



FLORICULTURE. 517 

for any purpose where order and neatness are required, it is 
necessary to cut out all the dead wood early in spring, and as the 
young growth progresses, to tie it into positions until it has covered 
its allotted space; but too haixi tying should not be practiced, as 
it detracts from the natural grace of the plant. The following are 
among the best for general uses: Jacknianii, noted for its gorgeous 
purple flowers. PUcheri, for its elegant habits, neat foliage and 
exceedingly pretty bright red blossoms. Virguiami (virgin's bower) 
for its rapid climbing, and white blossoms, growing twenty feet in 
one season, hardy, dying down in winter, but starting up again in 
spring; it is equally remarkable when in fruit, the long feathery 
tails of the fruit separating like long tufts of wool. Vertlcellata is 
noted for its charming blue flowers, lasting from June to Septem- 
ber. Flaminulu, a luxuriant climber with clusters of small, white 
flowers of most delightful fragrance; it is sometimes known as 
sweet virgin's bower. 

The next in the march of magnificent climbers is the Wistaria 
sinensis. Its growth is somewhat slow until it gets well established 
in good ricli soil. It will then grow from fifteen to twenty-five 
feet in a season. This elegant vine is considered almost perfect as 
a climber, its rich grape-like clusters of light-blue, purple, and pale 
cerulean flowers appearing profusely in spring, and sometimes 
during the summer and autumn, its graceful foliage retaining a 
light, beautiful green till pinched by frost. Thrives best if in a 
south situation. 

The Japanese honeysuckle is a pretty evergreen climber, the 
leaves being beautifully veined with gold; of no value for its 
flowers, but may be used in any form or position. Pegged down in 
a line it makes a pretty permanent edging for a flower-bed or 
around the base of an arbor, and, if allowed to grow unchecked, will 
quickly cover a large space. Its foliage shades beautifully among 
other creepers. 

Magnolia grandifiora, an elegant evergreen arbor plant, with 
large laurel-like leaves of a leathery texture and waxy look, their 



618 FLORICi;jLTURE. 

under surface being brown, and upper surface a glossy light green, 
producing freely its magnificent clusters of creamy white blossoms 
of the sweetest fragrance. Should have a sunny situation, and light 
rich soil. 

The Virginia creeper is a rapid growing, diciduous vine, clinging 
firmly by its tendrils to any support; it requires no nailing or tying 
and will cover the whole face of a house in a few years, and Mnll 
outgrow in time every support that can be provided for it, climbing 
to the house-tops, running along the eaves and over the chimney- 
tops and finally wreathing itself heavenward in the most prodigal 
profusions. This vine is often called the American ivy, and is 
much admired for the luxuriant foliage of its rich green summer 
mantle, and the gorgeous scarlet and crimson of its autumn robe. 

That " Rare old plant, the Ivy Green," as a permanent evergreen 
climber, must be first, for, " Creeping Avhere no eye is seen," in 
sunshine or shade, in strong rich soil, or in poor stony gravel, it 
will put up with almost any ill-treatment, and positively thrives 
best when neglected. Of course, if it is required to put on an 
orderly appearance, such as when clothing the face of a dwelling- 
house, covering summer-houses, arbors, and fences, some attention 
must be given to it, particular!}^ to the large-leaved varieties; for, if 
allowed to grow unchecked to any great height on a vertical face, 
the loose, overhanging branches form a receptable for snow in 
winter, the weight of which will tear down great breadths of it. 
In such positions ivy should never be nailed to the wall after the 
first season, if it can anyhow be avoided; it will be a saving of 
time in the end to wait till the ivy clings naturally to the wall. To 
this end all loose branches should be cut off about the end of April 
or the first week in May, and it is at this time that walls that are 
already covered require annual attention. The whole face of the 
ivy should then be gone over with a pair of shears, cutting ofi^ all 
loose branches, and the greater portion of the foliage of the large- 
leaved kinds. As this is the time when the plant is on the point of 
breaking into its new growth, its denuded appearance will only last 



FLORICULTURE. 519 

about a fortnight, when the whole surface of the wall will be again 
covered with a surface of fresh green leaves, and all branches 
formed near any uncovered portions of the wall, from the vigor 
induced by pruning, at once firmly cling to it. This annual prun- 
ing will cause the wall to be covered by a felt-like growth of 
branches, firmly attached, so that no violence of wind or weather 
will disturb it. 

The best quick-growing variety to cover a wall is the common 
Irish [hedera hibernica), a large-leaved kind. Another kind, suit- 
able for the same purpose is the hedera ercBgneriari; it does not 
make such a close, compact growth, but possesses fine, large, leathery 
foliage, quite distinct. The English ivy {hedera helix) is a small- 
leaved, close, compact-gi'owing kind, having a very neat appear- 
ance, but of much slower growth. This is about the best green- 
leaved variety for covering banks or rock-work, for which purpose 
the small-leaved varieties should always have the preference. 
Hedera helix axirea macidata, hedera elegantissima, hedera japonica 
argentea, are varieties with variegated leaves suitable for rock-work, 
or covering dwarf walls, but all the variegates are of much slower 
growth, and the markings are much better developed when in an 
open position. There are many other varieties, but those named 
are of the freest habita, 

Roc:Keeies. 

A rockery, if well constructed and placed in a proper position, 
should look like a charming bit of Nature's architecture. If the 
grounds are large this can be carried out to better advantage, A 
secluded nook should be selected, and the rockery constructed in 
the form of a terrace, with an opening at one end made purposely 
for ferns. A due regard should be given for good-sized crevices 
and pockets for the disposition of plants. Very pretty rockeries 
may be arranged against rustic walls to represent old ruins. The 
lai-ger rocks, as a general thing, should be placed at the base, but 
an occasional large and angular stone may project here and there 



520 FLORICULTURE. 

with good effect for some vagrant creeper to hang from. A mas- 
sive piece of blue granite makes a good finish at the top for the 
support of some climber, the preference of which is invariably 
given to the American ivy. 

A large rockery looks out of place in a limited space. For a 
small garden a pretty arrangement of rocks can be constructed 
with very good effect around an old stump. 

The pockets should be filled with leaf mold, rich, light soils, 
sandv loam, and soils adapted to the different species of plants 
which are intended to be grown in them. 

In })lanting the rockery, all plants but low-growing, lithe and 
graceful ones, should be avoided. Plants that are stiff or woody 
are not desirable. Some simple wild things are more g<'nerally 
adapted to this style of cultivation. 

Wood ferns, squaw-berry vine, with its waxy red berries, trailing 
arbutus, robin-run-the-hedge, money-wort, old English ivy, Vir- 
ginia creeper, with its gorgeous autumn tints, and the Alpine 
plants, are especially adapted for such purposes. They require 
light, sandy loam and peat, with abundant drainage. With this 
foundation of creepers laid it can then be embellished with delicate 
bloomers. The modest violet, lily of the valley, and the faithful 
forget-me-not, are worthy of the quiet nook. The dianthus, alpinus, 
saxifraga, seuum, and a host of others, are worthy of a place. The 
maiden-hair fern is an exquisite plant for the rockery, and a min- 
gling of wild and cultivated ferns make a charming group, in con- 
nection with clusters of wild pansies. If the situation is cool and 
damp all these plants will thrive admirably. 
Indoor Gardens. 

The boxes for indoor gardens are ornamented in all styles of art 
decorations — from characters that have figured on and off since the 
days of heathen mythology, to the present aesthetic designs (.f the 
renowned sunflower and lily. Slap on anything or everything and 
it is sure to be in vogue. We give a design in leaf work, which we 
think quite unique. 



FLORICULTURE. 521 

The art of decorating cabinets, boxes, and many other wooden 
articles, with pressed and dried leaves is very old, and, like Rip 
Van Winkle, has slept for many years, but has lately waked up. 

The effect produced by leaf decoration is always pretty and 
pleasing, and the process generally simple and easy. 

It consists in arranging and fastening dried leaves to the face of 
the woodwork in such patterns and borders as fancy may suggest. 
These, when varnished over, are permanent, and when arranged 
with judgment and good taste are very effective. 

The fittest woods for decoration are simple deal or pine, stained 
black; pine is best, as being most even in its grain, and as being 
susceptible of receiving the finest stain. 

The best method of staining the wood black, so as to give it a close 
resemblance to ebony, is with a decoction of logwood and iron dis- 
solved in vinegar. The leaves best suited to this purpose are those 
which are symmetrical in form, and which are most pleasing in out-, 
line. Deeply serrated leaves are better than those which more 
nearly approach a plain oval. Very large leaves should be avoided, 
and even those of medium-size should be used sparingly; in decor- 
ating a folding-screen or similar wide surface, they may look well, 
but generally, and always for small articles, leaves of a small size 
look best and most readily combine into shapes and patterns. The 
selection of the kind of leaves to be employed is, however, rather a 
matter of individual taste. Many, though not all, should be gath- 
ered in the autumn, when deep red and golden hues prevail, for the 
bright greens of spring and summer cannot be preserved, and the 
leaves gathered at those seasons will fade to a pale brown tint, not 
unpleasing in itself, but still needing to be enriched with deeper 
and warmer tones. The leaves selected should be free from any 
fracture and perfectly dry; they should then be laid between sheets 
of blotting paper, and placed under some heavy weight for drying 
— heavy books answer the purpose; but they should never be laid 
between the pages of a good book, as the moisture from the leaves 
is sure to destroy the parts, and the bindings will be strained and 



522 FLORICULTURE. 

forced out of place. Blotting paper, on account of its porous and 
absorbent nature, should always be used for drying. 

It is well that a considerable number of leaves should be pressed 
before beginning to fasten them to the wood, that there may be a 
good variety to select from, and by spreading on the table a sheet 
of paper as large as the surface to be decorated, and arranging the 
leaves upon it, it is easy to alter their positions till a pleasing 
pattern is produced. When the eye is quite satisfied with the 
arrangement, they may be taken up one by one, the back brushed 
over with a soft camel's hair brush dipped in gum arabic, and the 
leaf transferred to the same relative position on the box to be 
decorated; then it can be pressed down and any superfluous gum 
absorbed by a pad of blotting paper. The leaves, it must be 
remembered, are fragile, and require careful handling. After the 
whole of the leaves composing the pattern have been neatly and 
securely fastened on, and the gum has become dry, a coat of copal 
varnish must be laid with a soft camel-hair brush lightly over the 
surface and the work will be complete. This makes a charming 
flow^er-box, if the work is done artistically. 

The box should then be set on rollers and lined with zinc. A 
thick layer of broken rock and some charcoal for drainage should 
go in first. Then fill with a rich, light loam to within half an inch 
of the top, and set the plants in it. 

A window Avith a south situation has the best advantage, and the 
next best is a west or east window. Before the plants are set in, it 
should be well secured against frost. 

Plants should have more heat during the day than at night, from 
twelve to fifteen degrees being the difference in temperature; but 
authorities differ on this point, some maintaining that ten or twelve 
degrees is the proper difference. If plants are in a room where the 
heat is entirely shut off at night, and are in danger of freezing, 
they may be protected by covering them with thick paper, or some 
light woollen fabric. 



FLORICULTURE. 523 

Plants should be well secured against cold draughts, as this 
invariably is a fatal injury to them. Frozen plants, as soon as 
discovered, should have cold water poured on them, wetting every 
leaf thoroughly; they will soon be coated with ice, and in this 
state put them in a moderately cool place and cover with a news- 
paper. They should be left in this situation for several days, till 
tKey regain their normal condition. 

Different sj^ecies of plants to thrive well must have situations 
suited to their various habits; but they should all have the morning 
sun if possible, as plants so exposed are more vigorous of growth and 
richer m bloom. "All the exposures for plants that vary from the 
east to the west, and even a little to the northwest, may be included 
as available for window culture. The east and south, with the 
exposures between them, are of course the best, but western win- 
dows and those even somewhat to the northwest have been used 
with much success. A northern window is useful chiefly for ferns, 
colens, some fuchsias, and to winter shade-loving plants." 

In western windows, with stove heat, may be grown such plants 
as fuchsias, cacti, wax plant, calla, geraniums, heliotrope, Chinese 
pi'imrose, periwinkle, pansies, tulip, hyacinth, lilium, rose-geranium, 
pinks, German ivy, ameranthus, etc. 

From a southern to an eastern exposure may be grown: monthly 
roses, iris, calla, oxalis rosea, hyacinths, cyclamens, azalea, ciner- 
aria, auratum, daphne, Chinese primrose, heliotrope, jessamine, etc., 
but some of those plants will floiirish and bloom in any of those 
exposures. Moisture is one of the most essential elements in house 
culture; plants can be kept moist by setting vessels containing 
steaming soap-suds near them, two or three times a week, and is 
very efficacious in destroying parasites. 

Watering the plants is another operation of much importance, 
and one that requires some judgment, as some plants require much 
more water than others. Plants of an aquatic habit require more 
and more frequent watering than the Alpine family of plants, and 
what would be food for one would be death to the other. 



524 FLORICULTURE. 

In watering plants the roots and bulbs should receive a thorough 
soaking, as a slight watering does little or no good. Plants in bud 
or blossom require more frequent watering than those only in foli- 
age. Tepid water should always be used in plant watering, and 
should be applied in as fine a spray as possible. The leaves of 
plants should be washed at least once 'a week, as this keeps the 
plant free from insects. 

For fertilizers, an old authority recommends a small portion of 
the essence of night-soil in tiiree pints of water, and this to be used 
once or twice a week; also a few drops of liquid ammonia in a 
quart of soft water is good for the plants. 

The best compost for pot plants is one part leaf -mold, one part 
rich loam, one part river sand, and one part j^eat, mixing the whole 
thoroughly together. 

Pots for house plants should not be too large, as it is allowed 
that plants which grow in small pots are the best bloomers. The 
pot should be well washed before using it, and thoroughly dried in 
the sun. Two or three pieces of broken crock with a little char- 
coal should go in the bottom for drainage. Pots should not be 
filled to the edge with soil, as room should be left for watering. 
Care should be taken not to pile the earth around the neck of the 
plant, as it is injurious to most plants. 

The begonia is a very popular house plant and is becoming more 
of a favorite every year, with its elegant foliage and profuse waxy 
flowers of scarlet, pink, and white. The rex is the handsomest and 
the richest of the begonia family, with its grand imperial leaves of 
enormous size tinged with crimson and ornamented with blotches 
of green and white and zones of silver. It requires an even tem- 
perature of from sixty to seventy-five degrees, and considerable 
moisture. It is easily blighted, and the leaves should not be 
allowed to touch a cold window-pane. The leaves sell from twenty- 
five to fifty cents apiece, according to the size. 

The fuchsia, known by the vulgar name of " lady's ear-drop," is 
very popular as a house plant. It is quite hardy, not requiring 



FLORICULTURE. 625 

much heat, and will even bear a little frost without injury; but to 
keep it in good condition as to leaf and flower, a temperature of 
sixty or sixty-five degrees is necessary. It also requires plenty of 
light and air, and good rich soil is essential, with a humid atmos- 
phere. It is easily raised by propagation, and can ])e trained as a 
dwarf creeper, or made of a broader shape by pruning the end or 
terminal shoots till the side branches grow. The fuchsia drops its 
leaves very readily, probably from being sucli a victim to tlie red 
spider. The onh' remedy for these minute insects is an occasional 
syringing of the plants, or smoking them with tobacco. 

" Mignonette, though humble, is not to be despised. An orna- 
mental window-box filled only with this low-growing, violet- scented 
annual is a desirable addition to any room. A pot of mignonette 
and another of sweet alyssum cost nothing, and yet few things will 
be found more pleasant and attractive in the winter season. Plants 
that appear unimportant, almost insignificant, and entirely eclipsed 
by more ambitious rivals, when the garden is ablaze Avith its sum- 
mer glory, sometimes prove to be very queens of beauty when 
transferred to the sitting-room or bay window." 

There are many varieties of this plant. The crimson-flowered 
giant, of robust habit with very large spikes of handsome crimson 
flowers, of exquisite fragrance; Parson's white-flowering giant, 
flowers almost a pui-e white, of great fragrance; dwarf compact, a 
distinct and very desirable variety. It forms a dense semi-globular 
bush about ten inches high and eighteen inches in diameter, of 
robust vigorous branches, which are said to be produced without 
intermission from spring till late in autumn. Miles hybrid spiral, 
is said to be superior to any in cultivation. It is of dwarf -branch- 
ing habit, the flower spikes attaining a height of eight to fourteen 
inches. 

Bouvardias are free-bloomers with proper care, bearing generous 
clusters of rose, crimson, scarlet, and white flowers, and beginning 
to bloom when only two or three inches high. Beginning to bloom 
in August, they continue till frost. The new Alfred Nemer, 



526 



FLORICULTURE. 



Davidsonii, elegans lientha^ are the chief varieties. The David- 
fionii, the flowers of which are rather larger than the single flower- 
ing, and composed of three perfect rows of petals of the purest 
waxy white color, each floweret resembling a miniature tuberose. 
The trusses are large and perfect, and are freely and without inter- 
ruption produced even on the small side-shoots, which generally 
make no flowers on the single one, and according to authority in 
observation and experience, it will bloom more freely and constantly 
than the single variety. 




The heliotrope is a great favorite from cottage to palace, not only 
for the garden, but for the house as well. Its delicate spraj^s of 
flowers, in A^arious shades of purple and its exquisite fragrance, 
make it very desirable for bouquets. It likes plenty of light and a 
good rich soil. It should be well watered. It grows from cuttings 
as readily as the fuchsia, but the old plants are the best growers. 

With all thesp and many more to select from, the window and its 
surroundings may be made very effective. A window extending 
from floor to ceiling is well adapted for this style of gardening. 



FLORICULTURE. 



527 



and should be filled with plants growing in boxes or pots and set 
on high brackets on each side of the casement; if the window has a 
sliding screen of stained glass in it the effect will be so much better. 
The climbers may be lophospermum, a beautiful evergreen climber 
with purple and violet blossoms, Maderia vine, Alpine woodbine, 
and all or any kind of ivies, while smilax, vincas and arbutus 
droop and trail. Bright colored flowers may be scattered around 
in graceful Wedgewood, Wedge wood jardinieres forming a lovely 
contrast with the green background. Small brackets holding pots 




of carnations, bouvardias and heliotropes may be placed among the 
vines in the window. Hanging baskets and wall pockets may also 
find a place there with good effect. 

Wall pockets are becoming now more fashionable than hanging 
baskets. Cut a thin board in the shape of a shield to f oi*m the back. 
Bore a hole in the centre near the top to suspend it from a nail, 
then bore small holes all round the edge about half an inch apart. 
The pocket is made with ordinary brass or white wire, which is 
passed through the holes from side to side and carefully fastened at 



528 FLORICULTURE. 

each end. The s.ame process is repeated from top to bqttom of the 
shield and the wires fastened together. The receptacle is then 
lined with mosses and filled with wood earth. Arbutus, partridge 
vine, wintergi'een, etc., mingled with ferns, will all take kindly to 
these novel quarters if kept constantly moist. 

Almost anything may be converted into a hanging basket. Line 
it with moss with a little soil attached, and place in the center some 
showy plant of upright habit, fill up the surrounding space with 
rich woods and old hot-bed soil, fill in with plants of a climbing or 
trailing habit, when the center plant fades it may be replaced by a 
fresh one. In filling a basket, select plants of similar habits, those 
of like shape and moisture — fuchsia, lobelia, geraniums, wax plants, 
vinca, and wild and cultivated ferns. For hanging-baskets nothing 
can compare with the sedum sebpldii, oxalis, creeping Charlie, etc. 
Very handsome hanging-baskets are made from glass dishes set in 
silk or satin bags decorated with fancy pictures, or else embroidered; 
they are hung by three silken cords, place at equal distances in 
order to balance the dish. Ivies and ferns look pretty in this arrange- 
ment, or a sweet potato, with its pretty foliage and quickly climb- 
ing habit, grows nicely in it. 

Ferns and ivy mingled will fill a hanging-basket very prettily, 
but the ivy for this pui-pose should be the small leaved kind, which 
sends out graceful, compact sprays to twine around the wires by 
which the basket is suspended, and to droop over the edges. The 
sweet-pea has been successfully cultivated in a hanging-basket, and 
the Convolvulus Mauritanicus, a beautiful morning-glory with pink 
and blue flowers, having a white star in the center, will grow and 
blossom equally well. A very good effect is produced with pressed 
ferns and ivy growing in bottles. Two or more ounce phials are 
used, and wrapped around with cotton to keep them firm and pre- 
vent them from jarring each other. 

Hanging-baskets require frequent watering, for which, with due 
regard to the carpet, they have to be taken down from their perches, 
and then hung somewhere else to dry; but this trouble may be 



FLORICULTURE. 



529 



avoided in another ingenious way, which is to fill a bottle with 
water and put in two or more pieces of woollen yarn, leaving one 
end of each piece outside. The bottles should be hung just above 
the basket, and the water allowed to drip which will keep the earth 
moist enough for winter. 




"Within the last few years the exquisitely beautiful and graceful 
fern tribe has become quite a household favorite; so much so, in 
fact, that a drawing-room would now be scarcely considered com- 
pletely furnished without its one or more cases, each containing 
specimens of the tribe. This is not at all surprising, as, besides the 
great beauty of the plants and the facility with which they may be 
applied to household decoration, they are very easily grown, and 
require but little attention when once the cases are gotten into gocd 
order. Besides this, however, there is the interest attached to the 
careful study of the growing plants, which would alone repay the 
little expenditure of time and trouble involved in their cultivation. 



530 FLORICULTURE. 

There are three essential conditions necessary in order that the 
culture of fern plants may be successful: namely, abundance of 
water, shade, and shelter. It is true that some varieties will flourish 
independently of some of these conditions, but when judiciously 
combined they will admit of the successful cultivation of the whole 
species. One of the most important considerations is the supply of 
water. The roots of the jDlants should always be well supplied with 
this, and it should on no account be allowed to remain stagnant. 
It is then necessary to provide for the thorough drainage of the 
fern case. 

These ferneries are made in different styles. The illustration on 
preceding page shows a small rustic pattern with a hanging bnsket 
to correspond. In this illustration the intention is to provide in 
the fern case a kind of rustic frame through which ther beautiful 
forms of the plants may be observed, instead of the ordinary 
square and inelegant lines in which they are usually enclosed. 

The design is merely offered by way of suggestion; and it will 
be better for the constructor to decorate according to his own taste 
than to work to any pattern. 

Most of the fern tribe grown indoors are raised in Wardian cases. 
In starting a fernery, the first thing to be observed is laying a 
foundation of small pieces of rock mixed with charcoal in the bot- 
tom; if the case is large enough to admit it, a small or tiny rockery 
may be placed in the centre with good effect. It is maintained by 
good authority that equal parts of sand, loam, and leaf-mold is the 
proper soil for ferns. If woodland ferns are put in, they should 
liave a generous portion of native soil left at the root. The fernery 
proper should have all wild things in it. The pretty partridge-vine, 
with its tiny evergreen leaves and red, waxy berries, sanguinaria, 
hepatica, trailing arbutus, and lycopodium, all grow charmingly in 
the fernery, and with the wild ferns and mosses make a happy 
family. The plants should have a sprinkling before the case is 
closed, and must be kept in a shady situation for several days. 
Fernery plants do not require frequent watering; once in every 



FLORICULTURE. 681 

three or four weeks should be sufficient. As long as the glass has 
moisture on it, the plants require no water. If too much watering 
"be given, the plants will mold and die; these should be replaced 
■with fresh ones. The plants should be gracefully arranged, the 
low-growing vines in front and the ferns at the sides. 

Fern baskets look pretty hung over the plants, if the dimensions 
of the fei'n case admit it. They can be made in any conceivable 
design and look exceedingly beautiful when filled with low-grow- 
ing ferns and drooping trailers. (See illustration, page 527.) 

Hardy fei'ns are found in various situations, and consequently 
require various modes of treatment. Some grow on rocks in 
exposed situations, others in boggy, moist ground; some grow on 
Tiedge-baiik - and shady woods, whilst others, again, grow near 
waterfalls where the spray keeps them constantly moist. To 
succeed in cultivating all these in one place, an approximation must 
be made to the circumstance in which -they are found wild. A 
low, moist soil, at the foot of a bank of rock-work, will suit those 
found in a similar situation. The lower part of rock will suit those 
found on hedge-banks. Those found in shady woods may be 
planted on the north side of the rock-work near to the ground, 
while those that grow wild on exposed rocks and old walls, may be 
placed near the top of the rock-work in chinks between the stories. 
The most difficult to manage are those found within the reach of 
the spray of a waterfall. The only way to succeed tolerably with 
these is to place them so that they can be covered with a hand-glass 
on the shady side of the rock and to keep them moist by sprinkling 
them every day through the rose of a watering-pot, protecting them 
in winter by a covering of matting thrown over the hand-glass in 
frosty weather. 

Any species of fern that sends out stolons, or creeping stems, 
under ground, readily increases by division. This requires consid- 
erable care. They should never be divided till the parts to be 
separated have a portion of roots to each. Turn the plants out of 
the pots, and with a sharp knife divide the plants into as many parts 



582 ' FLORICULTURE. 

as they have roots and a small hall; put them into pots only a little 
larger than the little ball, drain them well, give a gentle watering, 
and set them in a shady place till they begin to grow again and 
send up fresh fronds. Several species produce miniature embryo 
plants on the fronds. These should be pegged down in a pot filled 
with proper soil, and placed so near the parent plant as to allow the 
fronds to remain attached to it. When the buds have made root 
into the new soil, and pushed forth some new fronds, they should 
be detached from the parent, and potted in two and a half inch 
pots, gently watered and placed in a shady place. Some new kinds 
have those buds or knobs so strongly developed, that they may, 
when in a sufficiently forward state, be cut off and potted at once. 

Several of the finest ferns cannot be increased by division, or if 
they can, several years elapse. If right means are followed, they 
may be raised by seed. This requires a constantly warm, humid 
atmosphere, and little if any sunshine. Procure a wide earthen 
pan, a hand or bell-glass that will go within it and rest on the 
bottom, and a shallow wide pot that will stand within the glass and 
above the rim of the pan two or three inches. Fill this half full of 
potsherds and upon them a sufficient number of small pieces of 
turfy peat, mixed with small pieces of sandstone about the size of 
peas, to come up to the pot. Then take the fronds of any fern that 
is full of spores or seeds, and, with the hand, brush them off upon 
the prepared pot, set it in the pan, place the glass over the pot, and 
nearly fill tlie pan with water. Place the whole in a warm situa- 
tion, shading it from the sun. The small pieces of turf and stone 
can be easily separated, and the seedlings on each put into small 
pots, without any danger of destroying them by the process of 
potting. In the moist atmosphere of the orchid house, several 
pieces of fern will come up spontaneously in the pots, baskets, and 
upon the blocks. These m^j be carefully detached as soon as they 
are large enough, and potted in small pots, placed for a time in 
shady situations, and they will soon make nice bushy plants. 

The soil best adapted to the fern tribe is a compost of sandy,. 



FLORICULTURE. 533 

fibrous peat two parts, turfy loam one part, and leaf mold one 
part, with a free admixture of sand. The best time for potting 
is early in March, small plants may be potted twice, the second 
time the first week in July. Ferns are like heath, if they once 
^et thoroughly dry tiiey will perish, therefore keep them con- 
stantly well watered, more especially when the pots are full of 
roots. Should they by any chance appear to be suffering severely 
from drought, take such and let them stand in a vessel of water 
that will cover the top of the pot for an hour or two. This will 
thoroughly wet every part of the ball, and often recover the plant. 
If such a convenience is at hand, the smaller ferns, like other green- 
house plants, will be greatly benefitted by a few weeks' sojourn in 
the middle of summer in a deep, cold pit. Here they should be 
well supplied with water, and nearly every afternoon, about three 
o'clock, have a gentle syringing, shutting them up close afterwards. 
As soon as the nights begin to get cold in September, they should 
be removed to the green-house and given a temperature of sixty 
degrees maximum and fifty-five degrees minimum by day, fifty-two 
degrees by night. During this season less water will be required. 
Pemove all decayed fronds and gi^'e them a top-dressing in 
December. This will carr}'^ them through till the potting season 
arrives in March. The green fly and thrip will frequently appear 
■on them. Smoking with tobacco 'f^')) 'J octroy them both. 



CHAPTER XLII. 



THE PICNIC. 



HIS method of being amused is as useful to human beings as if 
it were ordered by a physician at a guinea a prescription. To 
be sure, it may be made humdrum, heavy, over-dressed, and 
even uncomfortable and wearisome; but it need not be. The real 
delight of such an outing is found in small, congenial parties of a 
dozen or so of young persons, with one or two sedate friends to 
give tone, balance, and character to the entertainment. The genu- 
ineness of that evasive thing which we call pleasure, is sure to 
be established if it leave a pleasant remembrance. If it be an alto- 
gether agreeable event in our recollection, it may properly bear the 
seal, named happiness. 

Thoughtlessness is pardonable in youth, but its occurrences and 
consequences are often avoided by the presence of an experienced 
or worldly-wise elder. A sympathetic friend, who has seen her 
years drift by her, without forgetting that they were strewn with 
trifling pleasures just as the meadows are with cowslips, and who 
recalls them with satisfaction, is just the one to choose to accom- 
pany a party of al-fresco amusement-seekers. Perhaps this sen- 
tence should have its* reversal, as indeed, it sometimes does, when 
this agreeable friend, with her years of happy and wholesome 
memories, herself plans for the picnic and invites a properly 
assorted company of young people to join in a day's excursion to 
the hills or woods, which she wisely and unselfishly directs and 
arranges for their personal comfort and conduct. 

534 



THE PICNIC. 535 

If the party is to drive or ride, let not the distance be too great. 
There should be a stream of spring or pure water, materials for a 
fire, shade intermingled with sunshine, and a reasonable freedom 
from tormenting insect-life. Charming as is the prospect of pic- 
nicking in some grand dell, upon some lofty peak, or in some 
famous cave or legendary ruin, there are also other considerations 
which should not be forgotten. One does not feel too comfortable 
when banquetting in localities where Dame Nature has had her 
queer moods, and has left imprinted certain too observable evi- 
dences of her freakiness. Such places may be included within the 
excursion itself, but let the feast and the frolic take place where 
weird effects are not the prevailing characteristic of the locality. 

Be careful to dress for the entertainment, after consulting the 
barometer and the thermometer, and after learning the geography 
of the objective point of the day. A woollen dress that is not too 
heavy nor yet too new, or a cotton one that is not too thin, with 
short, trim skirts, and no fly-away draperies to entangle and to 
bother; thick, solid, easy shoes, that have a friendliness for. the feet 
because of prolonged intimacy with them; pretty, but not too fine 
or thin stockings; a hat that has abroad brim; a large sun-shade or 
a sun-umbrella; at least two fresh handkerchiefs; some pins, and a 
needle and thread stowed away in one^s porte7non?iaie or chsiteWine- 
pocket; easy castor, kid or suMe gloves, with ample wrists; a 
jacket to wear when returning home; and a rug or travelling-shawl 
to spread upon the ground at dinner-time, are among the requisites 
of personal comfort and prettiness. 

Two or three hammocks, provided the picnic be in a forest; a few 
closely-folding camp-chairs, and a spirit lamp or two for extra tea 
or coffee, are comforts that requii'e no space worth considering, and 
only a little remembrance when packing up, while they really 
increase to a large degi'ee the agreeable flavor of a day in the 
woods. 

Don't forget two or three books that have brief, bright poems or 
narratives in them, for inactive or half-dreamy members of the 



536 THE PICNIC. 

party, upon whom the spirit of romance and rhythm is sure to fall 
after dinner, provided they do not drop asleep entirely. 

When providing food for the party, pray do not forget to supply 
at least double the quantity which would be served at home for the 
same number of people, and then be sure to add a little more. To 
be hungry, ravenously hungry, while in the woods, proves to us 
that fresh air is wholesome and that nature encourages vigorous 
appetites. Therefore, even if they were convenient of transport, 
soups would not be a necessary stimulant to digestion. 

Of fish, cold boiled salmon, upon which a mayonnaise may be 
served at pleasure from a wide-mouthed bottle; or sardines, accom- 
panied by sardine-scissors, are the easiest to manage, and altogether 
the most satisfactory — but don't forget their intimate friends, the 
lemons. 

About meats, there are many varieties that may be served in the 
woods, but they should always be such as can be arranged for 
finger, rather than fork, eating. Nature did not make forks, as is 
frequently asserted; and, therefore, a picnic a la fourchette is not 
just that agreeable sort of free and easy entertainment that is the 
most charming to people who are already wearied with pomps and 
forms, ceremonies and things generally spectacular, and who flee to 
the woods in print dresses and plain uniforms, in order to escape 
such exactions for a little while. In fact, they long to eat food by 
the aid of their fingers. Tiny lamb or veal chops, closely and care- 
fully trimmed, dipped in eg^ and then in crumbs and delicately 
browned, after which their stems are ruffl.'d with paper — m 
papillate, as the Parisienne calls them — are delicious when cold, 
and are easy to manage. Chickens, cut up after roasting or broil- 
ing, are excellent and appropriate, but they are not so dainty or 
convenient to handle as the papered chops. 

The best and most convenient of all out-of-door edibles, is the 
sandwich. Not the one with slips of meat laid between slices of 
buttered bread, so that when a bite of bread is taken, all tlie 
enclosed meat is dragged out, unless a serious contest takes place 



THE PICNIC. , 537 

in its behalf between the teeth and fingers, which, to confess the 
truth, is not an attractive conflict, as every one will attest who ever 
saw a party of railway-travellers, each at war with one of them, as 
the train moved out from a way-station where the conductor had 
cried out " five minutes for refreshments!" To make sandwiches 
that leave none but pleasant memories and provoke no temper while 
in transit from the basket to the gastric regions, always grind the 
meat or chop it when cold to very near a pulp. Make a thick 
nuiyoiinaise, and mix it with the meat until it is about the consist- 
tency of marmalade. Store and carry this most agreeable prepara- 
tion in a covered dish or close jar. If it be rich with good oil, no 
butter is needed. Sometimes, however, butter is beaten in with the 
meat before it is married to the inayonnaise, yfYach. g\Y as to the 
sandwich a delicious flavor. Carry along with the meat biscuits or 
uncut loaves of good bread, with sharp knives to slice them evenly 
and thinly; and don't fail to remember what intensity the appetite 
may possess by mid-day, nor yet that, when it is appeased at that 
hour, it frequently renews its strength and comes back again about 
four o'clock in the afternoon and is as exacting as if it had not been 
appeased for a whole week. These best-of-all sandwiches are made 
ready when they are wanted. They are thus preserved from that 
taste of staleness that comes over them when they have made a 
journey after the meat was joined to the bread. Cold tongue, cold 
roast veal, cold roast beef, and cold ham ai'e all of them excellent 
for sandwiches, but the flavoring of salt, mustard, etc., is varied to 
suit the peculiar qualities of each. Tongue and ham possess decided 
qualities of their own, but the other two meats require toning-up to 
suit the palate. Grated pineapple-cheese, mixed Avith a thick may- 
onnaise and placed between very thinly cut slices of bread, is very 
much liked by gentlemen. Olives, pickles and jellies are easily 
carried, and prove agreeable additions. 

For desserts, there are many things, but beware of articles that 
will not bear travelling without looking dejected and sullen. Can- 



538 THE PICNIC. 

died fruits, with macaroons, sponge or pound cakes, are about the 
most agreeable of all the sweets which are adapted to journeys. 

Small sugared fruits may be purchased of the confectioner, but 
grapes, currants and oranges are easily prepared at home after the 
following manner: Take one cup of sugar and one of water, boil 
them slowly together for thirty minutes, add the juice of one small 
lemon, and then place the vessel in a basin of hot water to prevent 
the syrup from getting stiif. Dip ripe fruits into it, and lay them 
upon a buttered plate until cold. Currants may be dipped by 
holding them by their stems. Grapes are taken up on the point of 
a long pin, dipped in the sugar, and laid carefully aside to dry. 
Oranges are removed from their skins and pulled apart into as small 
pieces as one likes, and then dipped with the assistance of the pin, 
after the fashion of the grapes. These articles of delicacy are not 
only delicious but decorative. The sections of orange may be 
arranged prettily about the plate, and built up into a cone for the 
table at home; but at a picnic, one depends for beauty mostly upon 
the landscape. Fresh fruits are also agreeable at an out-door feast, 
without coating them with sugar. 

For drinking, tea that has been made, seasoned while hot and 
then bottled directly, is delicious. So also is coffee; but both these 
liquids may be made fresh by the fire, if one is built in gypsy 
fashion. For lemonade, roll the fruit in granulated sugar that is 
spread upon a marble or other hard surface, then squeeze them over 
the sugar and remove their seeds. The juice, thus obtained, may 
be bottled for the journey and added to water at pleasure. If ice 
must be carried, select a clear, solid piece and wrap it in a heavy 
flannel. Carry an ice-pick with it, so that it may be broken up 
when needed, with as little waste as possible. 

One really requires no wine at an al-fresco feast, even if accus- 
tomed to use it at a home dinner. The exhilaration of the air is 
quite sufficient for the needs of digestion. If wine must be carried, 
claret is best, because it is never served with ice, the most fastidious 



THE PICNIC. 539 

of wine-tasters insisting that its flavor is injured if it is not drank 
while of the same temperature as the atmosphere. 

For the feast, forget not the napkins, forks, spoons, and hxnch- 
eon-cloth. Also carry tumblers, plates, salt, pepper, sugar, and a 
bottle of cream or a can of condensed milk. Cups with handles, 
but no saucers, are desirable for tea and coffee. 

After a banquet of this delightful sort, the reflection presses itself 
upon the housekeeper and the house-mother, that we have over- 
much service, too extended paraphernalia, and most tiresome formal- 
ities that consume our forces every day of our lives, and that they 
are as beautiful as they are utterly needless. From the height of 
our intellects we look contemptuoixsly down on them, but when we 
once more return to these fashions of our living, we bow down to 
them with a sort of fetish reverence. To escape their burdens, 
arrange a picnic once a week so long as the sunshine invites you to 
sit under its beams and the trees have the least array of foliage left 
to wave over you. 



CHAPTER XLIII. 

GARDEN PARTIES. 

^\ 

XCEPT that it is arranged out-of-doors, a garden party would 

seem to be no relation to the picnic. The truth is, they really 
are cousins and represent the two extremes in the fashions of 
feasting or of being amused and entertained. One is an escape 
from etiquette and Philistinism, while the other is carrying hospit- 
able display and social observances to an afraost unreasonable 
extreme. 

Sometimes garden parties are excesses of extravagance. For 
those who are able to afford such hospitalities, they are all right 
enough, because to the caterer, the florist and the laborer, both male 
and female, they give extra employment. They disburse money 
through a community which might be otherwise lying idle. On the 
whole, costly garden parties are a blessing to business people, a 
pretty spectacle to guests, and perhaps one of the least objectionable 
of the many methods by which the rich indulge their fanciful tastes. 
If the fortunate had no caprices of this sort, the country would very 
soon lack many of its present industrial activities and prosperities. 
"The occasional lavishness of the- millionaire is the letting free of 
imprisoned capital," says the political economist. This process is 
somewhat akin to the habits of royalty, which, in some countries, 
whenever a great and satisfactory event transpires in its favor, sets 
at liberty certain numbers of prisoners. 

The garden party requires a shaven lawn, shade trees, and seats 
with rugs and hassocks in front of them for delicate feet that have 
become wearied. Marquees in gay colors, or fancy awnings that 

640 



GARDEN PARTIES. 541 

have no sides, but only pretty hanging borders to flutter in the 
summer air, may be placed at proper intervals. A dancing floor is 
often laid beneath such a shelter, for those who don't wish to make 
the occasion altogether rural by dancing upon the velvety turf. 
Perhaps this distaste for whirling and gliding upon the lawn itself 
after the fashion of the peasant maiden, is because waltz and 
redowa, polka and cotillion are less easily perforrtied upon a soft 
surfacsr, end because the slippers of; my lady of luxury have no 
affinity with the tidy and sensible buskin of the country girl. 

Unfbrella awnings, planted here and there upon the lawn, are 
bright and tasteful in their different colors. With seats beneath 
them for two or more persons, they are not only beautifying to the 
garden, but they afford charming retreats where a tUe d ttte may 
be enjoyed within sight of mamma or a chaperone, but hapily not 
within hearing. Thus really kind in spirit is a fashionable etiquette 
that is security itself in all its formalities. It is an autocracy, tem- 
pered with the sweetest and gentlest of tolerance and even with 
meroy itself. 

If there is no arbor hedge or natural cluster of shrubberies, be- 
hind which the musicians may be hidden, it is customary to arrange 
for them a temporary retreat of freshly cut pine or hemlock branches 
fixed in the earth. Care is taken that the performers be not arranged 
too close to the guests, because dancing music should not interrupt 
the conversation of those who are not disposed to dance. If the 
selections to be played at intervals are classic or romantic, distance 
adds to their charms. Of course, the best possible musical talent is 
secured for a/e<e champxitre, and the rendering of the varied com- 
positions will be agreeable to cultivated ears. 

Arrangements are made for serving refreshments in the house, 
for those who prefer to partake of them within doors, and also to 
provide for the exigencies of the weather. Indeed, the house is 
also placed in order for dancing, should a shower occur; and, usually, 
the verandas have awnings attached to the eaves, to be letdown 
as enclosures, in case of untoward winds or rains making the grounds 



542 GARDEN PARTIES. 

disagreeable. If the day is. fine, refreshments are carried by 
domestics to the groups that prefer the open air, and tea-poys from 
the house or little portable garden tables are placed near groups of 
guests for the reception of their cups, plates, etc. 

The hours appointed are usually from three o'clock till seven, 
although when very rich and elaborate tables are to be spread, and 
the grounds are arranged to be illuminated, or there is a full moon, 
the guests are invited for from four or five o'clock until ten or 
eleven. 

A caterer usually supplies the meats and drinks for such occa- 
sions. If the lady chooses to have them provided from her own 
larder, she endures much anxious thought, unless she is one of those 
rarely fortunate hostesses with a trained butler and a cAe/who is a 
genuine cordon bleu. 

If the party is to be from three o'clock until seven, the hostess 
provides only delicacies and light refreshments. There are salads 
of various kinds served in fancy paper cups or in orange skins, sweet 
"bread and mushroom jjatties also in crimped paper cups, with deli- 
cate biscuits or little sandwiches. Then there are small breaded 
lamb-chops en papillote, fancy breads, meringue d la .crhme, souffle 
aux marrons, Charlottes, cream-ices and sherbets, fancy cakes, and 
fruits an natural or sugared, with tea, coffee, chocolate, and some- 
times bouillon for drinks, the latter served in suitable bowls set upon 
plates or in coffee-cups, with one or two Italian breads laid in each 
saucer, but no spoon. It is considered in good form to drink this 
clear soup as one would take tea from the cup itself. 

Of course, it adds largely to the Ij^bor in a private home for this 
entertainment to be so varied, but it does not increase its actual 
cost. There is elegance in a widely differing menu, and it requires 
study to make it harmonious and pleasing, but it is just as inexpen- 
sive to have the salads of three vai'ieties for a hundred guests as it 
is to make the same quantity of a single group of materials. 

As to other drinks, the good sense of the hostess will determine 
whether she should have stronger liquids than lemonade and sher- 



GARDEN PARTIES. 543 

"bet for her guests, or, at the most, a claret punch with perhaps a 
flavoring of Chartreuse or Champaigne in its ruddy coolness. 

If the entertainment be fixed for late hours, then cold salmon 
with mayonnaise is usually added to the above list, and so are 
chicken wings that include parts of the breast and are called ailes de 
volaille. These can be lifted by the fingers. Smoked breasts of 
ducks that are imported all prepared for eating, and pate clejois gras, 
etc., are quite frequently provided. There are many Winter edibles 
which are not served in Summer time, such as oysters, turkeys, 
grouse, venison, etc. Some of these foods are unattainable in Sum- 
mer, and some of them are unwholesome or unsuited to hot-weather 
digestion. 

The refreshments are served both in the house and out of it, to 
gratify the convenience. Elderly people prefer the house, while 
younger ones delight in out-door f eastings. Moon-lighted senti- 
ment harmonizes wonderfully well with birds' breasts, and tutti 
frutti. 

The hostess sends out her invitations about ten days in advance 
of the time she has selected for her party. Acceptances or regrets 
should be returned immediately. 

The costumes for such a party should be as airy and gay as pos- 
sible. Short dresses are the prevailing style, but trails are not for- 
bidden to those who are willing to accept the burden of care that 
is necessary to prevent their injury and to keep them from such 
unconscious feet as will trip in them. An inadvertent step by a 
gentleman will sometimes spoil hi^ evening's pleasure. 

White mulls, French batistes, satins, Surahs, etc., with gay 
flowers and ribbons, are the favoi-ites, although quaintly printed 
foulards, bedecked with cream-white or colored laces, or perhaps 
with embroideries, are also popular. Pongee in its natural hues, 
trimmed with embroidered bands of the same, or with ombre Surah, 
is lovely and fashionable, and, besides, the soiled hems of this silk 
may be washed without revealing the fact. Fancy cashmere over- 
dresses, with short skirts of black velvet or satin, have been used 



544 GARDEN PARTIES. 

as garden-party costumes for several seasons, and they are still con- 
sidered as fashionable as ever. All the changes that have been 
made in them, and they are many, are discoverable in the hues of 
the over-dress, its much altered form, and its decorations. 

The accessories of these dresses are sure to change from , season 
to season. This year the bouquet de corsage is very large, and is 
worn low upon the breast, at the belt, or as a garland about the 
waist or neck. Field flowers are the present favorites. Clover- 
blossoms, purple, red or Avhite, according to the tint of the dress or 
the complexion of the wearei", are among the fashionable lady's 
present delights. Ox-eyed and dusky-hearted daisies vie with 
each other for favor. Brown-headed grasses and meadow-lilies are 
also popular with tall ladies, who wear dark dresses that are en 
train. For the garden party, however, if the ground be adorned 
with many growing flowers, it is in better taste to wear large, flat 
bows of plain or ombre satin or satin Surah ribbons, than flowers 
that bang their heads, and perhaps wither altogether in the presence 
of their more fortunate ungathered companions. 

The hostess usually receives upon her veranda, or if her hall be 
large, she may welcome her guests at this place. It is quite proper 
for the visitor to leave her wraps, if she have need of such articles, 
in the care of her coachman or with her maid, who may, perhaps, 
accompany her to care for them. It has become as much an 
approved style for a lady in grand toilette to ride without a bonnet 
to a garden party, as it is in Cuba for a lady of fashion to take all 
her summer airings with no other protection for her head than a 
parasol. Of course, this party must needs be in the country, where 
there are not so many persons to stare impertinently at a lady who 
rides forth in the day-time clothed for a fete. 

If a guest leaves early, or very much before the hour mentioned 
on her invitation card, she does not take leave of her hostess, but 
goes away quietly, in order that she may not suggest departure to 
other guests. 



GARDEN PARTIES. 545 

The call of ceremony after a garden party is as imperative as if 
the entertainment had been a grand and formal dinner, or an even- 
ina: of dancincr and full toilette. 

Garden parties are a branch of the more comprehensive " at 
home," and are especially adapted to inhabitants of suburban villas 
and countiy residences. They seem to us to be the revolt of our 
natures to the close confines of the house and the desire to get out 
into the sunlight and the air — to be the simple pjicnic hampered 
with the code which fashion imposes upon those of wealth a:id 
position. 



V. 



CHAPTER XLIV. 
CAMPING OUT. 



POOR woman, whose tired ears could not distinguish one 
tune from another, and who had been taught that when she 
became immortal her only occupation would be to sing 
hallelujahs, exclaimed in an ecstacy of delight, '" In Heaven I shall 
do nothing forever and ever!" This feeling is not uncommon to 
wearied people who are not poor, and they believe firmly that they 
also would be happy in doing " nothing forever and ever." Of 
course, this is but a temporary craving and remains only while they 
are tired out with the excesses and burdens of civilization. These 
are they who should fly to the wilderness, taking along with them 
only those individuals without whom life would not be life at all; 
or, better still, who should make a brief and wholesome separation 
even from the dearest, and go away among strangers, just to find 
uses for awhile for another class of sympathies. Such an arrange- 
ment is quite fc.j[ual to changing shoulders when a burden has 
become too heavy for the one who is bearing it alone. 

If you dwell by the sea, choose some inland spot of lonely 'loveli- 
ness. If your home is upon a lowland, climb a mountain when 
your welcome hour for camping and freedom has arrived. Make a 
literal and positive translation of your locality, occupations, modes 
of dressing, eating, sleeping, and reading. If your ordinary exis- 
tence is spent among books, take to boating, climbing, and even to 
cooking, rather than carrying along your habits of prying into 
scientific mysteries or of searching after the deep roots of a dead 
and dusty language. If you desire to read, you must choose novels 

546 



CAMPING OUT. 547 

that are composing, natural, and end up agreeably. You will dis- 
cover many a devoted story-reader who will tell you what books to 
procure. Those with sweet, steady-going characters, that do not 
harrow up your wearied and over-sensitive nerves, are the best 
healers and composers of the jangle which has fallen upon your 
system or your brains. If your adviser is an habitual devourer of 
fiction and expresses a distaste for certain books because they are 
flavorless, take our advice,' and, whether you are man or woman, be 
sure to make choice of these very novels, because they are just 
what you really require under the circumstances. They lead you 
away from yourself through agreeable and slumberous by-ways 
into a perfect tranquillity, which in your working seasons you might 
possibly consider only another name for semi-idiocy. 

The man who is to plunge into the woods and really forget his 
worn-out self, should be sure not to forget his worn-out clothes. 
See that your trowsers are easy, neatly mended, strong as to but- 
tons, and not too dark nor yet too light, lost your sense of the value 
of cleanliness make intimacies with mud too unpleasantly noticeable. 
Try to imagine that you are getting nearer to Mother Nature and 
are another Thoreau, always excepting his egotism, which Heaven 
forbid should ever fall upon the brain of another mortal. 

Should picturesqueness be a pleasure to your senses, select low, 
easy shoes, with Avide, thick soles, and flat heels. Wear red or blue 
stockings of worsted, a gray mixed flannel shirt or blouse, and a 
broad, red or blue belt, according to your hosiery. Then get a gray, 
soft felt hat with a wide brim, a water-proof Mackintosh and a 
woollen ulster, and you are dressed. Of course, you may carry 
rubber boots with high tops, and a water-proof cap with an attached 
Havelock, so that you can defy Jupiter Pluvius and even the deluge 
itself if it come back and you have not been chosen to re-enact the 
drama of Noah and his Ark. 

If you are a woman, your oldest winter dress, abbreviated at its 
hem, re-bound neatly and firmly, and loosened at its waist, should 
be taken along for scrambles over muddy places, and for boating. 



C48 CAMPING OUT. 

when bailing out the craft becomes one of the formalities. On 
rainy days will this gown also prove its loyalty and efficiency for 
your needs. Then you must have a fresh costume for beauty's 
sake, and so that your guide and cook (a combination of accom- 
plishments seldom or never dissociated) will write limp-footed and 
ill-spelled verses to yon, that shall combine, in about equal propor- 
tions, maudlin sentimentality and poor grammar. These droll apos- 
trophes, generally inscribed on birch bark, will do you no end of 
good. You will think better of yourself, and will the easier over- 
look many little culinary mistakes which your wilderness adorer 
will be sure to make semi-occasionally. 

A gray pressed flannel that is clearly a mixture of black and 
white, a deep green that is dark-hued and a first cousin to the oak- 
leaf, a brown that learned to be pretty from the deepest brown of 
the chestnut, and a blue which the sailor dearly loves, are the 
proper colors for gowns during a forest loitering. They may be 
made as gay as a robin red-breast, or even an oriole, with a pro- 
priety that would turn upon itself in amazement in a less free and 
deliciously barbaric life. Indeed, it is not in the least extravagant, 
when preparing for camp, to remember how Helen Douglas was 
clothed when she rowed Fitz-James across the Scottish waters. 
Plaids, the real tartan, in flat bands about the skirt, and a scarf or 
sash tied or pinned ornamentally to the back of the left shoulder, 
are always comely; and a Highland bonnet, with a heron's, a cur» 
lew's or a peacock's feather, is as easy to the head as it is pretty to 
the eyes. Upon gray and blue cloths, a cactus-red, an old-gold or 
a cai'dinal band of flannel may be arranged about the skirt; and a 
loose girdle of the same, ravelled at its ends and bunched into a 
tassel, or else hanging flatly, is a charming addition to the dress, 
and may b3 worn as a much-wrinkled belt about the waist-line of a 
blue blouse. Instead of an extra belt over that much and justly- 
admired blouse, which is indiscriminately called a Norfolk blouse 
and hunting jacket, this mountaineer's sash is very charming. A 
hat like the dress goods, with a soft Derby crown and a brim that 



CAMPING OUT. 649 

is cut in sombrero fashion, with a sufficient nural)er of rows of 
stitching about it to hoki it in proper but not stiff position, is both 
fashionable and comfortable. Gloves of wash-leather, long and 
loose-wristed, are a comfort and a prettiness; and, if they be of 
the natural yellow of their material, they will not be inharmonious 
with any shade of dress or decorations. The best gown is the din- 
ner and Sunday toilette of a wild-wood outing. 

A rubber cloth waterproof, with a hood of the same; an Ulster 
for cold days and nights (it is not unusual to sometimes draw this 
garment on over a flannel night-gown); heavy woolen shawls or 
traveling rugs for extra lowerings of the mercury; stout, low, flat- 
heeled shoes for climbing; and top-boots of rubber for those occa- 
sional rainy days that will come to mortals even in the most fasci- 
nating of Arcadias; and little more is needed, save a sensible supply 
of flannel, more or less thick, according to latitude, longitude and 
altitude. Fresh collars and handkerchiefs must be numbered accord- 
ing to the domestic accomplishments of the man-of-all-work. 

Of course, it is not against the law to take a serving-woman, but 
such feminines are liable to demand more conveniences and languish 
with more vehement discontent in the absence of civilization than 
the mistress herself. Indeed, domestic appendages of this descrip- 
tion not infrequently revolt determinedly or disappear altogether 
from the most fascinating of game and trout dinners served d la 
hemlock plank, and from couches of aromatic pine-needles and 
blankets. Yes, a man is the best helper in the woods, and, as a 
general thing, he really likes it. 

Two tents are required, if there be ladies in the party — and this 
article is written especially in their interest. Rubber pillows, to be 
blown up at will, and folding camp-cots and camp-chairs, are luxuries 
tliat belong to civilization; and few and happy are they who are 
"willing to forego them. Ingenious and inexpensive inventions are 
busy superseding fresh resinous twigs for bedding, and " more's the 
pity." Hammocks are for those who can keep themselves awake 
during the entire camping season in order that they may not fall 



550 CAMPING OUT. 

out of them while they are asleep. These articles are considered 
great luxuries, and certainly they are picturesque, or at least picto- 
rial wherever they are seen swaying between sun and shade under 
the great green trees. A tent umbrella, for peripatetic camping, 
fishing or sketching, is a comfort during hot days, when one must 
needs go away from the shade of the woods. 

For six people, the following kitchen articles are required: A 
camp-kettle with cover, for hot water; a three- quart coffee-kettle 
and a two-quart tea-pot; two bake-pans, one frying-pan, one water- 
pail, two cooking-forks and two cooking-spoons of tinned iron; and, 
if the party be very fastidious, a gridiron will be a boon. To broil 
a bird or a fish, a pointed stick is the woodraan's chief joy. Tin 
cups, to serve coffee, tea and water, are capable of combining these 
uses nowhere else but in the woods, so it is claimed ; and tin plates 
need not be numerous, because a dinner eaten by a camp fire is a 
marvel of simplicity and convenience as to the order and formality 
of its courses of food. Knives, forks and spoons should be an 
individual matter, each person of the party carrying and afterward 
caring for his own personal table-cutlery, just as he looks after his 
own toilette-articles. The big meat-knife and fork serve as the 
carver and fork, and a whet-stone, which improves the hatchet 
that cuts and splits the fuel, is as good and better than a pearl- 
handled steel for improving the edge. A tin or hard-wood pepper- 
box, with a salt-box of the same material and perforated in the 
same way, is very convenient. A large box of pulverized charcoal 
for filtering water after rains is a real luxury, which will add safety, 
as well as satisfaction to drinking water. Matches should be kept 
in corked bottles, and there should be rubber-cloth sheets for use 
during a storm that refuses to keep out of the tents while one is 
making the most of a sleeping season. Spread upon the ground, 
when one desires to lie prone upon one's back and enjoy long inter- 
vals of dreaminess, with eyes wide open and turned upward to the 
blue that flickers through the foliage of the trees, a rubber sheet is 
a great comfort. 



CAMPING OUT. 551 

These things seem to be many in their enumeration, but, after all, 
they are far less in number and cost than the gathering together of 
annual pomps that are novel and vanities that an; expensive, when 
one is going to a resort of fashion at Midsummer. And besides, 
except one's wardrobe, all these articles remain in stock for years 
to come. They may be compactly arranged and safely and cheaply 
stored with the guide; and if another locality be chosen in other 
years, these Summer needs may be quickly transferred by order 
and for a trifling outlay of expressage to some less familiar place. 

You notice that it is assumed as an undoubted certainty that, 
having camped out one season, other summers are sure to be spent 
in the same delightful, care-forgetting, health-restoring, brain- 
repairing manner. 

The long rambles over beautiful wild spaces, and, if within reach 
of water, the long and strong pull upon the oars; the delicious airs 
that blow from the points of the needles; the forest balms; the rest 
from toilsome, albeit beautiful, toilettes; and the calm, cool nights 
of slumber that bring back youth and beauty, and with these things 
revive an interest in living — all these are the reanimating blessings 
of a summer life in the depths of the forest ! 



CHAPTER XLV. 

DAUGHTERS. 



HERE is no mistake that a mother can make, so fatal to a 
daughter's happiness or to her chance of genuine success in 
everything slie has to do, as to educate her to look down with 
contempt upon the occupations of her parents, or indeed upon any 
honest industry. 

A mother may see the disadvantages of her husband's employ- 
ment, and may endeavor to bias the minds of her sons toward other 
tastes and sympathies, but that does not involve the expression of 
contempt for their father's toil. The latter may be difficult, uncer- 
tain, or, perhaps, insufficient in remuneration, but nothing that is 
useful is insignificant or dishonorable, while the line between the 
respectable and contemptible is a distinction that should be care- 
fully marked. 

To the daughter, no sentiment of disapproval need be expressed. 
That which has provided bread and shelter for her should be held 
in reverence, even though she may wish it were by other means 
that her infancy was nourished. To regret and to despise are not 
at all the same. One may be inevitable, the other is not. If the 
father's toil be disfiguring, the mother should teach the daughter 
by example to maintain a tidiness and sweetness in all the house- 
hold belongings, and always have in readiness the means for 
refreshing the toiler and for removing the outer soilings of his 
labor. 

No honest occupation needs to bear an intellectual, spiritual or 
moral stain, and an earnest spirit of industry and an innate dainti- 

552 



DAUGHTERS. 663 

ness are quite capable of elevating the commonest of homes up into 
sympathy with the best refinements of living. A bit of chintz to 
cover a chair may be fitly chosen, an illuminating print may adorn 
the wall, and the window-hangings may be both clean and graceful 
with very little extra cost. The table-spread may be fresh and 
wholesome. The arrangement of the simplest of food may be 
orderly and attractive to the eye. A pot of flowers, blooming in 
the window, gets the sunshine and air without money, and tidiness 
consecrates and makes attractive the plainest of apartments. Pov- 
erty is never dishonorable. Uncleanliness and disoi-der are a dis- 
grace for which sickness is the only apology. Not only teach this 
"early to the daughter, but show her by example how to charm a 
small income to appear as if it were plenty. 

This urgent appeal is the consequence of a recent experience, the 
like of which makes good mothers tremble, provided they are able 
to see the end from the beginning. It occurred in a fashionable 
shop, at an hour of the day when but few demands were being 
made upon the young woman-clerks. She was a very pretty girl, 
with her rich hair banged, a gilt comb in her coil, not too few and 
not too fresh ribbons all a-flutter upon her cheap but showy dress, 
with eai'-rings, bangles, and gaudy, cheap, and crumpled artificial 
flowers that served her as a bouquet cle corsage. She was posed 
with crossed hands and curved wrists, while she related to her 
scarce less unattractively dressed but equally pretty companion, her 
experience of the night before. 

" Oh ! it was just too awfully mean for anything. We were kept 
here over time last night, you know, and I had accepted an invi- 
tation from you know who, to go to a regimental promenade con- 
cert. Don't know M^ho ? Of course you do; just as well as I do, 
which isn't saying much. He told me to call him Charley, though 
I heard some of the fellows speak to him as Frederick, but 1 wasn't 
going to anger him by letting him know that I heard it — not I. I 
am too glad to have such a nice fellow to take me out and feed me 
on cream and fetch rae gloves and candy. 



654 DAUGHTERS. 

" Well, as I was telling you, we were kept here so late that when 
Charley came for me to go, I had not even dressed my hair, and he 
knocked at our apartment door, somebody having sent him up 
stairs. Here he was, and do you believe it, he had come for me in 
a coop [coupe), and coop and all was waiting; and what were we 
to do but to ask him to come into our rooms; and they are always 
in such a state, you know, like other poor folks, I suppose; and I 
was mortified to death. The table looked just awful, and mother 
was trying to get the baby to sleep, and father was cross and not 
washed up, and there was not a chair empty in the room. I just 
wished I was dead and buried, but I had to get ready all the same, 
and when I went out of that house in my blue silk dress and white 
bonnet, nobody but Charley would have suspected my father 
worked in the gas-house — indeed they wouldn't, and I don't mean 
that they shall find it out, if I can prevent it. 

" Wasn't it too bad that Charley should find out? But then he 
was nice about it and did not say anything until I said how morti- 
fied I was because father would do such low work. Mother hates 
it too, and its no wonder she don't care how she looks and how the 
house looks. Father will go to the saloon when supper is over. 
He says he hates a house that is always in a rumpus — but it isn't, 
any more than the gas-house where he stays all day. If he had 
any pride, he would do something nice, such as keeping a livery 
stable, or a billiard saloon, and then his hands wouldn't be black 
and his clothes dirty, and Charley wouldn't be ashamed to know 
him. Charley said I needn't live in that bedlam if I didn't want 
to, and I don't, and I said so, but he didn't say how he meant to 
change my circumstances, but I can guess, can't you?" 

" Why, he means to marry you, of course." 

" I suppose so, but he hasn't said so yet." 

Poor little idiot ! He will never say it, or, if he does, he will 
fail to keep his word. When girls do not respect themselves and 
their homes, they must not look for respect from others. If the 
mother had kept a tidy home, the daughter would not have beea 



DAUGHTERS. 655 

ashamed to invite any person to enter it. She would not have 
opened the way for expressions of an insulting, and perhaps, fatal 
sympathy. She would not have spent her earnings in a fanciful 
dress and bonnet if she had been taught to divide her income with 
the home purse, and to lend touches of refinement and useful evi- 
dences of thrift to the household. If the mother expressed no 
contempt for the father, the daughter would have nourished none; 
and one requires no spirit of prophecy to discover the doom of that 
girl in the very near future. 

To make the most of what one has and is, is the surest and safest 
way of growing up to something better and higher. There is no 
such certain and speedy road to ruin for daughters, yes, and for 
sons also, as to educate them in a manner that will give them false 
pride. A genuine development of the mind and heart has very 
different results. It is in a superficiality of many acquirements that 
danger lies, and it is through a paltry pride that girls learn to play 
the piano badly, paint trashy pictures, and sing cheap songs in a 
cheap style, when a little serious instruction in something within 
their mental capacities and their purses would have been certain to 
provide them with positions of respect and usefulness. 

In these days of highly finished artists in all the accomplishments, 
it is money thrown away to half -learn anything. The result only 
exhibits how little, rather than how much, a girl knows. She feels 
a contempt for herself when in the presence of her superiors in 
attainments, and they feel a contempt for her because she attempted 
what she failed to finish. 

If there were no false standards of living, no false estimates of 
the dignity of labor, these things could not be. What woman, who 
has reached an age when she can judge of the values of things, 
would not rather be a skilled dressmaker, or an accomplished 
milliner, than a young person who teaches the rudiments of musie 
to insubordinate children, or gives ill-paid lessons, in an almost as 
poor a style, in china-painting? The latter calls and probably 
deems her toil intellectual, but there are no such miserable drudges 



556 DAUGHTERS. 

within the bounds of civilization as half-educated instructors in 
what is called the fine arts. 

If you teach your daughters to aim high, be altogether certain 
that they ai*e possessed of the power to reach their object, and 
equally sure that you will have the means to complete what you 
undertake for them. If they are carefully educated in all those 
practical things which a woman should know, and their school life 
be not shortened for vanity's sake, or for some short-sighted esti- 
mate of what is desirable, and there really is talent or genius in 
their brains, the mother need give herself no anxious thoughts 
about it, because superior capacities will surely find methods by 
which to express themselves. Be content with that certainty. 
They may smoulder for a time, but they will blaze at last. 



CHAPTER XLVI. 



HOUSE PAINTING. 



IHE following receipts and directions are condensed from a 
practical English work on the art of house painting. They 
are principally designed for the inexperienced and those who, 
living at a distance from the cities, have great difficulty in 
obtaining first-class workmen. 

To make work satisfactory, it is very necessary for the workman 
to have very clean all the vessels, brushes and cans he may require 
in the course of his work, such as the various pails, pots or vessels 
in which he mixes or from which he uses his colors. These are 
sometimes bought at the shops, handsomely made of stout tin, 
and such are easily kept clean, and save their expense in color, 
which is readily brushed down their smooth sides. He will also 
require a marble slab and muller, to grind the finer colors used in 
painting. Sometimes a small cast-iron mill 'is useful not only to 
grind colors, but to pass the tinted color through, so that it may be 
more thoroughly mixed. 

It is presumed the workman will know what brushes he will 
require, according to the work he has in hand. 

In preparing to paint a good dwelling, after having obtained the 
necessary colors and brushes, see that you have a few pounds of 
good pumice stone, a quire or two of assorted sand paper, to 
smooth the inequalities of the work; some twenty pounds of putty, 
to stop up after the first coat in every part of the house; a suflici- 
ency of fine slacked lime, and a proper number of large and small 

557 



558 HOUSE PAINTING. 

vessels in which to mix the colors, and from which to use them; a 
few pounds of soaked glue, &c. 

If the wood-work be new, and no wall-work required, you will 
go over it carefully with a small brush and some of the glue size, 
colored with red lead, covering what knots and stains may appear 
in the wood, after which the priming coat of almost all oil and 
good white lead, tinted with Indian red, should be evenly brushed 
over the work; and, as soon as dry, the putty knife and putty 
should follow, to stop all the cracks and nail holes. Then should 
follow the second coat, with a little spirits of turpentine in the oil, 
and the color slightly tinged with blue black. This is generally 
thought sufficient for the attic and third stories. But the rest of 
the house is usually finished with old ground white lead, thinned 
with spirits of turpentine. The roof, if covered with tin, should 
be painted once in ihree years. There are many different methods 
in use. Some paint with raw oil, dry Spanish brown and a little 
red lead, to dry it, for fear of a rain; others, with Spanish brown, 
more red lead, and half whale oil with the linseed oil; others use 
yellow ochre and black, mixed in the same oils; others use a paint 
made by boiling paint skins and whale oil, and carefully straining 
them while warm, reserving the remaining skins, to stop the leaks 
around chimneys and dormer windows. This last mentioned paint 
is probably serviceable from its elasticity. In the country, many 
paint their roofs and outbuildings in the same way, using some- 
times Venetian red from its brightness. 

Many complaints are continually made that white lead and colors 
composed thereof do not endure, and are quickly beaten off by 
exposure to the sun and rain. This difficulty occurs as much from 
the mariner of using the paint as from its quality. As this occurs 
in outside work, it is to be attributed, first, to the condition of the 
work to be painted, being generally in such a state as to absorb the 
oil from the first coat, thereby leaving it in a dusty state, and liable 
to be washed off by the first rain. This can be guarded against 
only by filling the old work, in painting two thin coats over it, one 



HOUSE PAINTING 659 

upon the other, as soon as dry, and finishing it with one thicker 
coat, to protect it and shed the rain. A fourth coat, if the imme- 
diate expense is not heeded, will repay its cost in additional service 
and beaut)'. 

The white lead can be procured of any requisite quality at the 
color stores. It is thought that the best article is the most econom- 
ical, as it works out with more ease, and repays the difference of 
cost in its appearance. Linseed oil is also better for having due 
age, for the same reason as the white lead, working with softness 
and advantage after parting with the water which is generally com- 
bined with new oil. 

The quality and fineness of the white lead used adds materially 
to the work, and that which is well ground, and has such mellow- 
ness from age as will cause it to work smoothly under the brush in 
connection with good linseed oil, will certainly repay any reasonable 
additional cost. The first coats should always be mixed with clear 
linseed oil; the fourth coat may be used with boiled oil and one- 
quarter part spirits of turpentine. 

Putty is best purchased at a good color store, where you can 
depend upon its being made of good dry whitening and linseed oil. 
It should be carefully and freely used after the work has had one 
•coat of paint, for the fresh paint holds the putty very firmly. 

Harmony of Colors. — Red looks well with black, white or yel- 
low. Blue harmonizes with white or yellow. Green with white, 
black or yellow. Gold with black or brown. White appears well 
with any color. 

MIXING PAINTS. 

A Beautiful White Paint. — For inside work, which ceases to 
smell and dries in a few hours. Add one pound of frankincense to 
two quarts of spirits of turpentine; dissolve it over a clear fire, 
strain it, and bottle it for use; then add one pint of this mixture to 
four pints of bleached linseed oil, shake them well together, grind 
white lead in spirits of turpentine and strain it, then add suflicient 



660 HOUSE PAINTING. 

of the lead to make it proper for painting; if too thick in using, 
thin with turpentine, it being suitable for the best internal work on 
account of its superiority and expense. 

For a Pure White Paint — Nut oil is the best; if linseed oil 
is used, add one-third of turpentine. 

To Mix Common White Paint, — Mix or grind white lead in 
linseed oil to the consistency of paste, add turpentine in the pro- 
portion of one quart to a gallon of oil; but these proportions must 
be varied according to circumstances. Remember to strain your 
color for the better sorts of work. If the work is exposed to the 
sun, use more turpentine for the ground color to prevent its blis- 
tering. 

For Knotting. — Mix white or red lead powder in strong glue 
size and apply it warm. 

Common Flesh Color, — Stain your white lead with red lead, and 
mix with oil and turps. 

Fine Flesh Color. — It is composed of white lead, lake and 
vermilion, 

A Beautiful Color for Carriages, &c, — Mix carmine lake 
with black japan. 

Cream Color. — This is a mixture of chrome yellow, the best Eng- 
lish Venetian red, white lead, and red lead in oil. 

Pearl Gray. — White lead, with equal portions of Prussian blue 
and lampblack, mixed with oil and turps. 

Fawn Color. — Grind some burnt and raw terra sienna very fine. 
Two or three pounds of this is sufficient to stain white lead for a 
large building. This color is of a superior shade, and very excel- 
lent for inside work. 

Blue. — Grind Prussian blue in turps; other blue very fine in 
linseed oil, and mix it with white paint to the tint required. 

Buff. — This is a mixture of French yellow, chrome yellow and 
white lead, tinged with a little Venetian red, oil and turps. 



HOUSE PAINTING. 661 

Straw. — A mixture of chrome yellow and white lead, oil and 
turps. 

Drab. — Raw and burnt umber and white lead, with a little Vene- 
tian red, linseed oil and turps. Another. — Burnt umber and white 
lead, with a little Venetian red, oil and turps, as before. 

Steel. — Mix white lead, Prussian blue, fine lake and verdigris, 
in such proportions as to produce the required color. 

Purple. — AVhite lead, Prussian blue and vermilion, or lake with 
oil and turps. 

Violet. — Is composed of vermilion, mixed with blue-black and a 
little white. 

French Grey. — White lead and Prussian blue, tinged with ver- 
milion; and for the last coat substitute carmine for the vermilion. 
Mix with oil and turps. 

Silver. — Use white lead, indigo, and a small portion of blue- 
black, as the shade may require. 

Gold. — Mix Naples yellow or patent yellow with a small quantity 
of orange chrome and a little Spanish white. 

Dark Chestnut. — Mix red ochre and black. Use yellow ochre 
when you require to lighten the color, in oil. 

Salmon. — White lead, tinged with the best English Venetian 
red, oil and turps. 

Peach Blossom. — White lead, tinged with orpiment; mixed with 
oil and turps. 

Drab. — White lead with a little Prussian blue and French yellow, 
linseed oil and turps. Another. — White lead with a little French 
yellow and lampblack, linseed oil and turps. Another. — White 
lead with a little chrome green and blue-black. 

Lead. — This is a mixture of lampblack and white lead, with a 
little litharge. 



S6 



562 HOUSE PAINTING. 

Chocolate. — Mix lampblack and Venetian red with a little red 
lead, or litharge, to harden the color and give a drying quality. 
The colors must be ground, and mixed with boiled oil and a little 
turps. 

Dark Red, for Common Purposes. — Mix English Venetian red 
in boiled oil with a little red lead and litharge, to give a drying 
quality. 

Orange. — Mix red lead and French yellow with linseed oil and 
turps, or use deep chrome yellow. 

Bright Yellow for Floors, Etc. — White lead and linseed oil 
mixed with some French yellow, and a little chrome yellow to 
brighten it; some red lead, burnt white vitrol and litharge added 
to it to give it a very drying quality. This color mixed with equal 
parts of boiled oil and turpentine, and used very thin. 

Dark Yellow. — Mix French yellow in boiled oil, adding to it a 
little red lead and litharge, to give the paint a drying quality. 

Light Yellow. — This is a mixture of French yellow, chrome 
yellow and white lead, with oil and turps. Another. — French yel- 
low, white lead and red lead. Another. — Grind raw terra sienna 
in turps and linseed oil; mix with white lead. If the color is 
required of a warmer cast, add a little burnt terra sienna ground in 
turps. 

Olive Green. — A suitable, cheap, and handsome color for out- 
side work, such as doors, carts, wagons, etc. 

Grind separately Prussian blue and French yellow in boiled oil, 
then mix to the tint required with a little burnt white vitrol to act 
as a drier. Another. — Black and blue mixed with yellow, in such 
quantities as to obtain the colors or shades i-equired. For distemper, 
use indigo and yellow pink mixed with whiting or white lead pow- 
der. Another. — This is a mixture of Prussian blue, French yellow, 
a small portion of Turkey umber, and a little burnt vitrol. Ground 
the same way. Another in oil. — Mix Prussian blue and chrome 



HOUSE PAINTING. 563 

yellow. Grind the same. Another shade. — A mixture of Prussian 
blue and French yellow, with a small quantity of white lead and 
Turkey umber and burnt white vitriol. Grind the same. 

Light Gbeen. — White mixed with verdigris. A variety of 
shades may be obtained by using blue and yellow with white lead. 

Grass Green. — Yellow mixed with verdigris. Another. — Mix 
one pound of verdigris with two pounds of white lead. Walnut 
oil is the best for this purpose. 

Invisible Green, for Outside Work. — Mix lamp-black and 
French yellow, with burnt white vitriol. These colors mix in boiled 
oil. Burnt vitriol is the best drier for greens, as it is powerful and 
colorless, and consequently will not injure the color. 

To Paint a Bronze. — Grind good black with chrome yellow and 
boiled oil; apply it with a brush, and when nearly dry use the 
bronze powder at certain parts and the edges also; the effect will 
1)6 a brassy hue. 

A Good Imitation op Gold. — Mix white lead, chrome yellow, 
and burnt sienna, until the proper shade is obtained. 

Tar Paint for Fences, Roofs, Etc. — Common tar mixed with 
whiting. Venetian red or French yellow, according to the color 
required. This should be warmed in a large iron kettle in the 
open air, and applied with a large painting brush. It is an excel- 
lent preservative of the wood, and looks well for rough work. 

Paint Driers. — Litharge. — This is a useful drier, and may be 
used in all kinds of paints, except greens and very delicate colors. 
White Vitriol or Copperas. — This turns into water, especially when 
used in black paints; and is almost useless for any color till the 
water of crystallization is evaporated, and then it become a power- 
ful dryer, and may be used for every delicate color, as it is perfectly 
transparent; but when used in its raw state in white paint, has the 
effect of turning it yellow. Sugar of Lead. — This is a very useful 
and transparent drier, not so powerful as white vitriol, but it may 
be used with it to advantage. 



564 HOUSE PAINTING. 

Milk Paint for Ixdoor Work. — The quantity for one hundred 
square feet: One quart of skimmed milk, three ounces of 
lime, three ounces of linseed or poppy oil, one and a half 
pounds of Spanish white or M'hiting. Put the lime into a 
clean bucket, add sufficient of the milk to slake the lime, 
add the oil a few drops at a time, stirring the mixture with a 
flat stick till the whole of the oil is incorporated in the mass; then 
add the remainder of the milk, and afterwards the Spanish white 
or whiting, finely powdered, and sifted gently over the mixture by 
degrees. Curded milk will do for the purpose, but it must not be 
sour. One coat of this will do for ceilings and stair-cases in gen- 
eral; two coats or more for new wood. Where color is required, 
you may use powdered umber, ochres, chromes, greens, blues, pinks, 
etc., etc., ground in milk. For particular work, strain the color 
through a hair sieve. 

Lime Whitewash. — Lime whitewash is made from lime welF^ 
slaked. Dissolve two and a half pounds of alum in boiling water, 
and add it to every pailful of whitewash. Lime whitewash should 
be used very thin, and when it is sufficiently bound on the wall by 
means of alum, two thin coats will cover the work better. Most 
whitewashers apply their wash too thick, and do not mix a propor- 
tionate quantity of alum to bind it, consequently the operation of 
the brush rubs of the first coat in various parts and leaves an uneven 
surface, and the original smooth surface of the wall is entirely 
destroyed. 

Italian Marble. — This looks bold, and is well adapted for 
columns, etc., and is easy to imitate. The ground a light buff. 
For the graining colors, prepare a rich, warm buff, made in the 
following manner. Mix stiff in boiled oil, white lead and good stone 
ochre, and tinge with vermilion, then grind some burnt terra sienna 
very fine in boiled oil, and put it into another pot; mix some pure 
white stiff in oil, and keep this separate. Thin these colors with 
turpentine, have ready a brush for the buff and another for the 
terra sienna. Proceed to work as follows: Take the brush intended 



HOUSE PAINTING, 565 

for the buff moderately full of color, and dab it on freely and care- 
fully in different patches, some of them larger than others, and 
varying them as much as possible. When these are laid on, take 
the other brush and fill in with the terra sienna the spaces between; 
as soon as this is done, take a dry duster or softener and blend the 
edges together, making it appear as soft as possible. Proceed in 
this manner till the whole is finished, then take a hair pencil and 
draw a few thin white veins over the work, varying them as much 
as is necessary; take another pencil for the terra sienna, and run a 
few thin lines intermixing with the whole; varnish when dry. 

To Imitate Granite. — For the ground color, stain your white 
lead to a light lead color, with lampblack and a little rose-pink. 
Throw on black spots with a graniting machine, and fill up with the 
white a little before the ground is dry. 

A Cheap Oak Varnish. — Two quarts of boiled oil, one and a 
half pounds of litharge, three-quarters of a pound of gum shellac. 
All boiled too-ether and stirred up till dissolved, then take off the 
fire and add two quarts of turps. When settled, strain into a bottle 
and cork for use. 

Common Oil Varnish.— Take one gallon of quick-drying oil, 
two pounds of resin, and one quart of turpentine; put the resin 
with the drying oil into a varnish kettle, and let it dissolve in a 
gentle heat; take it from the fire and gradually pour in the spirits 
of turpentine. If too thick add more of the turpentine. 

Transparent Varnish for Pictures. — Take the white of four 
eggs and two ounces of loaf sugar; beat them up in lime water to 
the proper consistency of varnishing. 

For Varnishing on Wood, UnpAinted.-- -Quarter of a pint of 
wood naphtha, quarter of a pint of s])irits of wine, four ounces of 
benzoin, four ounces of orange shellac, added all together. If not 
thick enough with those ingredients for your purpose, add more of 
the gums benzoin and shellac. 



666 HOUSE PAINTING. 

Waterproof Varnish, for Linen or Calico. — One pint of tur- 
pentine, one and a half pints of linseed oil, seven ounces of litharge, 
one ounce of sugar of lead. Strain it, apply with a brush, and dry 
in the sun or in a warm place. 

Instructions. — Oil of turpentine deadens the color of paints; 
varnishes, copal, etc., brighten the color. 



CHAPTER XLVII. 

THE CARE OF THE HAIR. 

|F HE hair, to be beautiful, must not only be thick and long, but 
^* fine, silky and glossy — effects that are only produced by con- 
stant care. Women, who do not possess the crowning glory 
of a fine head of hair, are the ones who most quickly notice the 
great ornament it is to other women, so that one cannot but wonder 
that they do not attempt to improve that which they have, or try 
the sensible French expedient of making the best of it. Too often 
beauty is lost because it is not cultivated, for if it were developed 
as far as possible, ugly girls would soon grow to be exceptional. Each 
nation could tell the seeker after the beautiful some recipe by which 
they gained the admiration of the world for the specialty in form, 
figure or coloring that has become synonymous with their woman- 
kind. 

Physiologists say that each hair is a bulb, having in its center a 
hollow tube, through which it is probable common atmospheric air 
passes. At the bottom of the bulb, the nucleus of which is a sort of 
bag, there is an opening connected with very minute vessels resem- 
bling roots. Each bulb possesses a separate minute artery of its 
own, and consequently a vein and a nerve. When a hair is pulled 
out, pain is produced, which shows the bulb is in direct communi- 
cation with a nerve and consequently with an artery. So, as the 
liair springs from the skin and is nourished therefrom, one of the 
greatest helps towards having beautiful hair is to keep the skin in 
good order. If the skin is in an unhealthy condition, the hair falls 
out and breaks easily; but if a healthy vascular action is maintained^ 
the hair is strengthened. 

667 



568 THE CARE OF THE HAIR. 

Sometimes the epidermal scales are allowed to accmmulate xintil 
they are difficult to remove, and they then become the greatest 
enemy of lovely locks. To prevent this, a stiff brush should be 
freely employed two or three times a day, and the use of a fine 
comb should be avoided. A wash that will remove this growth 
(commonly called dandruff) is as follows: B3at the yolks of two 
eggs up with the juice of a lemon, and have the mixture well rubbed 
into the head with the fingers, until a slight redness is apparent. 
Wash the mixture off thoroughly with lukewarm water. Much 
care must be exercised in preparing this, so that none of the white 
of the egg; be allowed to enter in the compound, for it will make 
the hair stiff and be found very troublesome to remove. 

When the hair is lost by sickness or becomes thin and dry from 
some unknown cause, no greater mistake can be made than having 
it shaved off. Much questioning has proved the fallacy of the belief 
that it will grow in again fine and thick; the growth is usually 
slow, and the hair seldom attains the length it had before. The 
heat of the cap worn during the time it is short lias doubtless much 
to do with this result, but even if a cap is not worn, it is not advis- 
able to shave the hair. Instead, let it be cut tolerably short, the 
skin of the head kept in a healthy condition and no false hair worn 
to impede the growth by heating ths- head. 

The Germans, who usually have handsome hair, attribute it to the 
fact that they never cut a child's hair, but simply trim the ends and 
allow it to hang for a long time in soft, smooth braids. The Geor- 
gians and Greeks plait the hair, and, as soon as it is sufficiently long, 
attach an iron weight to each braid, increasing the size of the 
■weight as the hair grows. They have hair of wonderful length, 
and as the head is carried very erect, in consequence of the weight, 
a graceful, dignified carriage is attained. A few drops of ammonia 
— that household fairy — in the clear water used in washing the hair 
will be found to keep the ends from splitting. If, however, the 
hair falls out, trim it frequently and apply a stimulant. One that 
can be recommended by experience is easily prepared: Camphor, 



THE CARE OF THE HAIR. 569 

one drachm; borax, one drachm; spirits of wine, two teaspoonfuls; 
tincture of cantharides, two teaspoonfuls; rosemary oil, four drops; 
rosewater, half a pint. Dissolve the camphor and borax in the 
spirit, add the oil, and then shake all up gradually with the rose- 
water. 

Do not wrap anything around the head when retiring, and always 
arrange the hair as carefully for sleep as you do for the day; part 
it smoothly in various places, brush carefully, and then braid it in 
plaits, which should be allowed to hang loose. If the hair becomes 
knotted, rather than tear it out by attempting to disentangle it, take 
the scissors and cut the knot out. Do not wear too much false hair. 
Do not use heavy hair-pins, and if you wear your hair crimped, use 
rubber pins or bands to put it up on. They will not break the hair 
so easily nor hurt the head so much, nor be so likely to become 
undone during the night. 

There are few women who do not crimp, curl or Avave the hair in 
some way, and yet if they knew how lovely the hair looks, when it 
is healthful, drawn s/noothly from the face and twisted in a knot 
behind, one cannot but think that smooth hair would pi'ove the rule 
and not the exception. A wondrous picture shows the head of a 
woman who is sleeping — the eyes are closed, so that you can only 
guess at their color and depth; but the shape of the head has been 
a study for all the art-loving world for a long time. Could this be 
seen if the hair were arranged in crimps or frizzes? Oh! no. And 
yet it is wonderful hair, too. Black, glossy and thick, drawn back 
from the wide brow and coiled in the way in which Venus coiled 
hers. 

This does not mean to all the world, "Go, fix your hair perfectly 
plain; you, who need the framing of soft waves or coquettish curls, 
cast them aside, and fix your locks as did the ancient goddesses :" 
but it does mean, " Study the shape of your head, and if you can 
afford to have it fully displayed, do so." 

The blessed rule which governs hair-dressing to-day, that the 
"most suitable is the most fashionable," means just what has been 



570 THE CARE OF THE HAIR. 

said, and the wise woman will think of it and know how to arrange 
her hair properly. Do not attempt to dye your hair, for if Mother 
Nature has been so beneficent as to crown you with silver threads, 
be thankful to her for her great love for you. Many, whose faces 
would otherwise be commonplace and inexpressive, are made to 
have a striking individuality by the possession of just such gray 
locks as Marie Antoinette gained when she powdered her hair, or as 
came to her after the " night of terror," No matter how young 
you may be, prize your gray hairs as you never would golden ones, 
and as their possessors never do. A frequent wail among " golden 
locks " is that their hair will always remain that shade or else fade 
into a neutral tint, the bliss of respected gray hairs being denied 
them. 

The change produced by a hair dye is usually 'palpable to the 
world at large, and she who uses the dye is generally laughed at. 
It will neither suit your complexion nor your eyes, and if a striking 
contrast is achieved, it will only be pleasing for a short time. As- 
tonishing things grow to be very tiresome when they are often 
seen. And just so it is with feminine beauty; we love best that 
which pleases evenly — not once with a great wonder and unbounded 
delight, but that which is always pleasing. And to the attainment 
of this beauty, the crowning ornament of beautiful hair becomes 
necessary; poets sing of it, and yet it is generally braided hair, 
long hair, or locks in picturesque disorder. One is certain that all 
womankind would be willing to sleep a hundred years, if, like Ten- 
nyson's Princess, they could be sure that in time some prince would 
find them and some poet-laureate describe them, truthfully saying, 

" Year after year unto her feet, 

She lying on her couch alone, 
Across the purple coverlet 

The maiden's jet black hair has grown, 
On either side her tranced form 

Forth-streaming from a braid of pearl. 
The slumbrous light is rich and warm, 

And moves not on the rounded curl." 



CHAPTER XLVIII. 

HOUSEHOLD AMUSEMENTS. 



;T is related of one of England's greatest statesmen, that some 
one calling to see him unexpectedly on grave political affairs, 
found him, not absorbed in state papers and official documents, 
but on all fours in his nursery, with his children romping upon and 
around him. And of another eminent man, the late Earl of Derby, 
it has been recorded, in a graceful tribute paid to his memory, that 
while at times he would seek recreation from political labors in 
the translation of Homer, at others he loved to find it in 

"Making some wonder for a happy child." 

The dark evenings of winter and early spring call into request 
games for round parties, and we shall devote the present paper to 
some of these. To commence with a very simple one, we will 
describe a game of German origin, known as 

The Ball of Wool. 
The party are seated round a table, from which the cloth must be 
drawn. A little wool is rolled up into the form of a ball, and 
placed in the middle of the table. The company then commence 
to blow upon it, each one trying to drive it away from his own 
direction, and the object of all being to blow it off, so that the per- 
son by whose right side it falls may pay a forfeit. The longer the 
ball is kept on the table by the opposing puffs of the surrounding 
party, the more amusing the game becomes, as the distended cheeks 
and zealous exertions of the players afford mirth to lookers-on as 

well as to themselves. 

en 



572 HOUSEHOLD AMUSEMENTS. 

Similar to this is a game called " Blowing the Feather," in which 
a small feather set floating in the air answers the same purpose as 
the ball upon the table. The forfeit falls to the individual whose 
puff is ineffectual in keeping the feather afloat, or who suffers it to 
drop when it reaches him. 

Of a different character, and still more comic in its results, is a 
game called 

Shadows. 
This game, sometimes called " Shadow Buff," is productive of 
much amusement in a round party. It consists in the detection of 
the individuals who compose the company by their shadows; but 
these they are at liberty to disguise as much as possible. The 
following is the method pursued: A white tablecloth or sheet is 
suspended on one side of the apartment, and at a short distance 
before this sheet, one of the party, chosen for the purpose, is seated 
upon either the floor or a low stool, with his face directed towards 
the cloth. Behind him, on the farther side of the apartment, the 
table is placed, and upon it a lamp or taper, all other lights in the 
apartment being extinguished. Each of the company in turn 
passes before the lamp and behind the person who is gazing upon 
the cloth, which thus receives a strong shadow. If the individual 
seated can name the person whose shadow is thus thrown, the 
latter has to pay a forfeit, or to take the place of the guesser, as 
may be agreed upon. 

The Messenger. 

The party are seated in line, or round the sides of the room, and 
some one previously appointed enters with the message, " My 
master sends me to you, madam," or " sir," as the case may be, 
directed to any individual he may select at his option. " What 
for?" is the natural inquiry. "To do as I do;" and with this the 
messenger commences to perform some antic which the lady or 
gentleman must imitate — say he wags his head from side to side, 
or taps with one foot incessantly on the floor. The person whose 



HOUSEHOLD AMUSEMENTS. 573 

duty it is to obey, commands his neighbor to the right or to the 
left to "Do as I do," also; and so on until the whole company are 
in motion, when the messenger leaves the room, re-entering it with 
fresh injunctions. While the messenger is in the room he must see 
his master's will obeyed, and no one must stop from the movement 
without suffering a forfeit. The messenger should be some one 
ingenious in making the antics ludicrous, and yet kept within mod- 
erate bounds, and the game will not fail to produce shouts of 
laughter. 

Another game, of much the same character, is known by the 
title, " Thus says the Grand Seignor." The chief difference is that 
the first player is stationed in the centre of the room, and prefaces 
his movements, which the others must all follow, by the above 
words. If he varies his command by framing it, " So says the 
Grand Seignor," the party must remain still, and decline to follow 
his example. Any one who moves when he begins with " So," or 
does not follow him when he commences with " Thus," has to pay 
a forfeit. 

Magic Music. 

In this game a player is seated at the piano, and one of the 
others leaves the room, while the company decides what the last- 
mentioned is to do on his return. When called in, he is given a 
hint, but only a hint, of what he is expected to do. We will 
suppose that he is told that he is to " make an offering to a certain 
lady." He is left to himself as to what the offering may be, but' 
he must guess the lady to whom it is to be offered, and offer to 
each in succession until he discovers the individual selected. The 
musical part of the performance is this : When he re-enters the 
room, the person at the piano commences to play some piece, with 
a moderate degree of vigor. As the guesser approaches the right 
lady, or the right thing to be done, whatever its nature, the music 
becomes louder or quicker; but if he appears to be going farther 
and farther from his appointed task, the music becomes softer and 
softer, until it is scarcely heard. This gives him a clue' as to 



574 HOUSEHOLD AMUSEMENTS. 

whether he is on the right scent, or otherwise. If there be no piano 
in the room, the " magic music " may be of another character. It 
may consist in the tinkling or clashing together of any articles that 
will emit either a harmonious or a discordant sound, according to the 
degree of hilarity or boisterousness to which the age and other cir- 
cumstances of the company dispose them. But, played with a little 
tact, the game in any of its forms will be found amusing. 

The Courtteks. 

One of the company is selected to be king or queen, and occupies 
a chair in the center of the room, the rest being seated round the 
sides of the apartment. Whatever movement may be made by the 
monarch must be imitated by the courtiers; and it is the gist of the 
game that this should be done without any one losing that assump- 
tion of decorous gravity which becomes the scene. The monarch may 
yawn, sneeze, blow his nose, or wipe his eye, and the courtiers must 
all do the same; but if any one of them is so deficient in self-control 
or so presumptive as to grin or to laugh, he or she must pay the 
penalty of a forfeit. It is rarely, however, that penalties are few 
or far between. 

The Dumb Orator. 

This is a very amusing performance, enacted by two persons for 
the benefit of the rest of the company. One of the two recites a 
speech, or any popular piece of declamation — "My name is Norval," 
or the like — keeping all the while perfectly motionless, and without 
a quiver upon his countenance, while the other, standing silent by 
his side, gesticulates furiously, according to the emotions called up 
by the passage recited. Of course, the more closely he follows and 
burlesques the action natural to the words throughout, the greater 
the amusement created. There is another way of performing the 
same oratorical show, namely, by the two players enveloping them- 
selves in the same cloak or wrapper, and the arms of the one — which 
are all the company are allowed to see of him — keeping up an action 
suited to the narrative of the other; but this is more awkward in 
the performance, and less effective than the method first described. 



HOUSEHOLD AMUSEMENTS. 575 

Speaking Buff. 
At this game, the eyes of one of the players are bandaged, as in 
■" blind man," and he is seated in the center of the room, the party 
then taking their places, " Buff " holds a wand or stick in one 
hand, and, when all are seated, he points with this to one side of 
the room, or touches one of the players, at the same time uttering 
three words according to his fancy. The person towards whom he 
points must then repeat these words; and if "Buff" can discover 
his or her identity by the tones of the voice, he is released from hig 
position, and the person detected takes his place. 

The Shopkeepers. 
This is a good game to exercise a knowledge of the various pro- 
ductions of nature. Each person in the company represents a shop- 
keeper or merchant, who has some goods on hand which he wishes 
to dispose of; but no two persons may choose the same trade. Any 
one may start the game — say, for instance, the draper — and he com- 
mences, we will suppose, by observing to his next neighbor, " I have 
some silk for sale; is it animal, vegetable, or mineral?" To this the 
reply would be, "Animal, for it is the production of the silkworm.'* 
The correct answer having been given— we will assume by the chemist 
— the latter turns to the person next him, with an inquiry suited to 
his trade; say, "I have some glycerine for sale; is it animal, vege- 
table, or mineral?" The rejoinder may be, "Either animal or 
vegetable, for it may be obtained from either vegetable or animal 
fat." The merchant, in his turn, may say, " I have some shell-lac 
for sale; is it animal, vegetable, or mineral?" and should receive 
the reply, " Animal, for it is obtained from an insect." So the 
game goes on, the ingenuity of each, as it proceeds, being taxed to 
mention some article of his stock, the origin of which may not be 
within the knowledge of the person addressed. A round or two of 
the game will rarely proceed without some of the company finding 
that they have added to their store of general knowledge, as well 
as derived amusement. 



576 HOUSEHOLD AMUSEMENTS. 

Twirling the Trencher. 
This is a brisk game, requiring activity without ingenuity. 
A circle is formed in the room, and a good space is left 
clear in the midst. A trencher or round wooden platter is 
obtained, or, if such a thing is not available, a small round 
tray or waiter will best answer the purpose. When all 
the party are seated, one of the company stands up in 
the center and twirls the tray round upon the floor, at the 
same time calling out the name of any other person present, who 
must rise and pick up the trencher before it falls to the ground, 
otherwise he or she pays a forfeit. The person who twirls the 
trencher returns to his own seat immediately, and the one who 
picks it up, or has been called upon to do so, has the privilege of 
making a call afterwards. 

Proverbs. 
Proverbs is a game of a more intellectual character. In this, one 
person volunteers, or is chosen by the company, to leave the room, 
and in his or her absence a proverb is fixed upon by the remaining 
party. The person outside is then called in, and the first person 
whom he addresses with any remark or inquiry, is bound to reply to 
him with an answer in which the first word of the proverb is intro- 
duced. The second person to whom he goes must reply in such a way 
as to bring in the second word; and so on until the proverb has been 
repeated. He is then informed that he need not proceed further, 
and is left to guess the proverb chosen. If he fails in three attempts, 
he must again retire, and his ingenuity is tried by the selection and 
repetition of another proverb. Any one making an answer in which 
the right word in turn is not introduced, pays the penalty of a for- 
feit, and the company are, therefore, on the watch to see that each 
person addressed duly performs the part. The great art of the 
game is in so wrapping up the word in the course of the reply as to 
made it difiicult for the guesser to discover the proverb which was 
chosen. Some proverbs are far more easy of detection than others. 



HOUSEHOLD Ai^IUSEMENTS. 577 

from the forcible or peculiar words comprised in them, or the diffi- 
culty which the answerers find in concealing the words which fall to 
them in rotation. "Still waters run deep " may be taken as an 
exampl(! of the class difficult of concealment, for " waters " and 
"deep" are awkward words to introduce, and will easily connect 
themselves in the mind of the guesser, who is on the watch for his 
clue. "Where there's a will there's a way "is more capable of 
disguise, but " will " and " way " will reveal themselves to a person 
quick of apprehension. None of the proverbs chosen should consist 
of very many words, or the guessing may become tedious. When 
the proverb is detected, the guesser is entitled to claim that some 
one else shall take his place, and may, if he pleases, select for that 
purpose the person whose insufficient disguise of the allotted word 
gave him his first clue. Or he may name any one else in the com- 
pany for the purpose. If the guesser tries his skill two or three 
times without success, he may claim relief from his office, and some 
one else may be appointed. In this, as in all other games, it must 
be remembei'ed that when weariness on any side commences, amuse- 
ment is at an end; and where there are symptoms of a game I'each- 
ing that point, it should be relinquished for another. 

The Newspaper. 
This may be played either as a forfeit game, or otherwise. One 
of the party is appointed to " read the newspaper," the others, 
seated before him, assume to be members of different trades and 
professions — lawyer, doctoi', draper, grocer, etc. The reader takes 
up any paper that may be at hand, and selects some passage for 
perusal. The peculiarity of the game is, that whenever he pauses 
and looks at any member of the company, that person must make 
some suitable observation appropriate to his particular trade — the 
more incongruous to the narrative or dissertation which is being 
read by the first player, the better. The penalty of a forfeit may 
be exacted from any person who does not reply when appealed to, 
or who makes a remark not connected with his own pursuit. 

37 



578 HOUSEHOLD AMUSEMENTS. 

To give our readers a clear idea of the mode of playing the game, 
we will suppose the reader lights upon a narrative of the visit of 
the Duke of Edinburgh to Calcutta. He proceeds thus — 

"A guard of honor composed of" (here he looks, say, at the 
Oilman) — 

Oilman — " Tallow candles " 

" Was drawn up on the quay, and his Royal Highness on landing 
was received with a round of" — 

Butcher. — " Marrow bones," 

" Delivered in true British fashion. A salute of twenty-one guns 
was fired from the" — 

Dra])er. — " Band-box," 

" And the ships and forts hoisted their" — 

Lawyer. — " Affidavits." 

" Every house in the vicinity was decorated with" — 

Grocer.—" Treacle," 

"And the windows were filled with elegantly dressed" — 

Surgeon. — " Compound fractures." 

"Escorted by the Governor General, his Royal Highness pro- 
ceeded to the" — • 

Confectioner. — "Mince-pies," 

"And gracefully bowed his acknowledgments to the" — 

Ironmonger. — " Fire-shovel." 

So the reading continues, until each member of the company has 
responded, or the paragraph is closed, when another extract may 
be commenced. The passages most suited for perusal are those 
which possess Some degree of gravity in tone, without being too 
serious to serve as a foundation for the ridiculous interpolations to 
which the game will naturally give rise. 

Comical Combikatioks. 

This is a game which can be made a source of considerable 
amusement by a party of young people who have some skill, how- 
ever slight, in drawing. It is not known under any especial name, 



HOUSEHOLD AMUSEMENTS. 579 

and is played in the following way: Those engaged in it sit round 
the table, and each is supplied with a piece of writing paper folded 
into three parts, and a lead pencil. In the first place each sketches 
a head and neck — that of a man or woman, or that of some inferior 
animal, taking care that his neighbor does not see what he has 
done, then each refolds the paper, so as to hide his or her sketch, 
but leaves indications of where the neck is on the blank part of the 
paper which is folded over it. The papers then change hands all 
round, and each proceeds to sketch a body for the head he has not 
seen. When this has been accomplished the papers are again 
refolded as before; another change takes place; and all proceed to 
supply legs to the bodies they have not seen, just as before they 
supplied bodies for the heads they had not seen. When all this 
has been done, another change of papers takes place, and then each 
writes the name supposed to belong to the figure thus curiously 
compounded, after which the papers are unfolded, and the result is 
usually bursts of laughter at the address or the absurdity of the 
combinations. 

Another game, very like this, is for each to write aline of poetry, 
folding it under as before, passing it to the next and telling him 
the last word of the line written, to which he must write a line 
which will rhyme. Upon being read it will be found that many of 
the stanzas will have a very amusing construction. 

Buz. 

This is a forfeit game, and partakes of the nature of an arith- 
metical exercise. The party repeat in order any number of figures, 
from one to fifty, or one to one hundred, as may be agreed upon, 
but every seven that occurs, and every multiple of seven, is repre- 
sented by the word " Buz !" Thus, the first player says " One," the 
next " Two," and so on until the seventh, who must say " Buz !'* 
instead; he who has " fourteen " in his turn must also repeat " Buz," 
and the same with those who come to seventeen, twenty-one, 
tweuty-seven, etc. It is not so easy to avoid mistakes, when the 



080 HOUSEHOLD AMUSEMENTS. 

figures are being quickly repeated round the circle, as may be 
imagined. Every time seven occurs as part of the number, as in 
twenty-seven and thirty-seven, the players may be sufficiently on 
their guard; but they will generally be found tripping thoughtlessly 
as the multiples of seven, such as forty-two and fifty-six, come in 
order, and so there will be no lack of forfeits. Seventy-one is called 
" Buz-one," and seventy-seven " Buz-buz." 

The Kxight of tite Whistle. 
This is a sort of modified " blindman's buff," played, however, 
•without a bandage over the eyes, and without the romping element 
■which sometimes makes that well-known game objectionable. A 
small whistle is suspended from the coat collar or the dress. of one 
of the party by a piece of twine or thread, about half a yard long, 
which hangs down between the shoulders. The " knight " or the 
*'lady " of the whistle, as the case may be, then stands in the centre 
or walks slowly round the circle of the company; some one, watch- 
ing an opportunity, seizes the whistle and blows it shrilly, when 
the knight immediately turns to detect the offender, and if he hits 
wpon the right person, the latter must take his place. As the 
player turns to find out one whistler, another gives a blow, and 
thus the game proceeds merrily, until some one, less dexterous than 
the rest, is caught. 

Catch the Ring. 
This is another modern invention, which is. considered an im- 
provement on the boisterous game of "hunt the slipper," and is, 
therefore, taking its place. The players are seated in a circle or 
semi-circle, and hold a string, on which a finger-ring is placed. One 
of the company undertakes the task of finding this ring, which is 
passed rapidly along the string from hand to hand, as the players 
see an opportunity of moving it unobserved. If the first player 
can at any moment pounce upon the ring, the person in whose 
possession it may be is called on to take his place, and, if so agreed 
on, to pay a forfeit in addition. 



HOUSEHOLD AMUSEMENTS. 581 

Scandal. 

This is a more intellectual game, and while amusing enough, 
serves at the same time to point a moral, as it illustrates the 
growth of scandal, or the variations which arise in a story, Avhen 
commonplace facts are repeated from mouth to mouth. The plaver 
seated at one end of the room whispers something to his next 
neighbor, who repeats it as nearly as ho can remember it, and a^-ain 
in a whisper, to the person seated by his siae. So the tale passes 
from end to end of the room, and when it reaches the last person, 
the latter has to repeat the story aloud; the first player then gives 
Lis original version, and much amusement is usually created by the 
difference between the two. In starting the tale, it is well to 
introduce some word or words which are capable of being taken in 
more senses than one, as this affords the more opportunity for 
variation. 

The Wild Beast Show. 

A screen must be placed at the end of the room; behind it is 
placed a large mirror and a light. The showman stands before the 
screen, and offers to exhibit his wild animals to any person Avho 
will promise not to describe what he has seen when he comes out. 
Then the person who gives the promise and demands admittance is 
asked what animal he wishes to see. On liis naming one, the show- 
man proceeds to describe it. The description should be very wilty, 
and should have some application (either complimentary or satirical) 
to the person who wishes to see the show. The person is then 
admitted behind the screen, and is shown himself m the looking- 
glass. 

The Genteel Lady Always Genteel. 

For this French game, which is a very funny one, you must have 
a certain number of spills, or twisted pieces of paper, intended to 
represent horns. Whoever makes a mistake in the game, which is 
really difficult, has for each mistake a paper horn stuck in her hair, 
so placed that it will shake when she moves. 



582 HOUSEHOLD AMUSEMENTS. 

The game begins by one of the party saying to her right-hand 
neighbor, "Good-morning, genteel lady always genteel. I, a gen- 
teel lady always genteel, come from that genteel lady always gen- 
teel (here she points to the young lady on her left hand), to tell 
you that she owns an eagle with a golden beak." 

The next player bows, turns to the one on her right hand, and 
says, "Good-morning, genteel lady always genteel. I, a genteel 
lady always genteel, come from that genteel lady always genteel, 
to tell you that she has an eagle with a golden beak and silver 
claws." 

The young lady bows and turns to her neighbor, saying, " Good- 
morning, genteel lady always genteel. I, a genteel lady always 
genteel, come from that genteel lady always genteol, to tell you 
that she owns an eagle with a golden beak, silver claws, and a lace 
skin," 

It is very likely that this speaker will make one or two mistakes 
in repeating the sentence. If so, she must be dressed in one or two 
paper horns, and the next speaker has to say, "Good-morning, 
genteel lady ahvays genteel. I, a genteel lady always genteel, 
come from that two-horned lady always two-horned, to tell you 
that she owns an eagle with a golden beak, silver claws, lace skin, 
and diamond eyes." 

Probably this speaker will make several mistakes, and receive 
four paper horns on her head. 

Then the speaker after her must say, " Good-morning, genteel 
lady always genteel. I, a genteel lady always genteel, come from 
that four-horned lady always four-horned, to tell you that she owns 
an eagle with a golden beak, silver claws, a lace skin, diamond 
eyes, and purple feathers." 

Each of these sentences goes round the entire circle, always tak- 
ing in more "horned ladies," till at last the sentence will become: 

"Good-morning, four-horned lady, always foui'-horned. I a 
three-horned lady always three-horned, come from that two- horned 
lady always two-horned (pointing to her left), to tell you that she 



HOUSEHOLD A^IUSEMENTS. 583 

owns an eagle with a golden beak, silver claws, lace skin, diamond 
eyes, and purple feathers," 

Every mistake (even the difference of a word, or omitting to point 
to the left, or to bow after each speech) incurs a horn. The best 
plan for playing this game is to let the same player commence each 
fresh sentence — for instance, to send " the eagle with the golden 
beak" round first, then the "silver claws," and so on. No lady 
must be called "genteel" who wears the paper horns, and any 
mistake in the number she wears incurs another horn for the 
blunderer. At the end each horn is ransomed, as forfeits are. 

Dumb Crambo. 
Half the company leave the room. While they are absent, the 
others fix on a verb Avhich the absent ones are to guess and per- 
form. By-and-by, when their decision .is made, they call in the 
leader of the outside party, and say, "The verb we have chosen 
for you rhymes with pie " (or any other word chosen). The leader 
retires, and discusses with her followers what the verb can be. It 
is best to take those which will rliyme with the noun given, in 
alphabetical order. " Buy " would come first for " pie." The 
party enter and begin to buy of each other. If right (that is, if 
"to buy" was the word chosen), the spectators clap their hands; if 
wrong, they hiss. Speech on either side would entail a forfeit. If 
hissed, the actors retire, and arrange what next to do. "Cry" 
would be the next in rhyme, or "dye," or "eye," or "fly," or "hie," 
or "sigh," or "tie," all of which are acted in turn, till the clap of 
approval announce that the guess is a successful one. Then the 
spectators go out, and become in their turn actors, in tho same 
manner. A great deal of the fun of this game depends on tho 
acting and on the choice of the verbs; but it is almost sure to cause 

great amusement. 

The Giantess. 

This is a very amusing deception. A tall young l;^d is dressed 
in a petticoat. Then a large umbrella i.5 covered over its silk ribs 
with a gown and cloak; a ball, for a head, is tied on the point of 



584 HOUSEHOLD AMUSEMENTS. 

the umbrella-stick above the dress, and a bonnet and thick veil 
put on it. .The umbrella is partially opened, so that its sticks set 
out the dress and cloak as a crinoline does. The player gets under 
it, and holding the handle up as high as he can grasp it, appears 
like a gigantic woman. Somebody knocks at the hall door to pre- 
tend that there is an arrival; and a minute or two afterwards the 
footman is to open the drawing-room door and announce " Miss 
Tiny Littlegirl." The giantess then walks into the drawing-room, 
to the amazement of the company, bows, etc. It has a good effect 
to enter holding the umbrella-handle naturally, and then to raise it 
by degrees, which will give a comical appearance of growth. We 
have seen the giantess thus appear to rise till she peered over the 
tops of the highest pictures in the room. The effect is exceedingly 
funny. She may talk to the company also, bending her head down 
towards them, and speaking in a shrill tone of voice. In clever 
hands, the giantess causes a great deal of fun. 

A Blind Judgmext. 
A young lady is blindfolded. The leader of the game then 
brings the players, one by one, up to her, and requires her opinion 
of them. She is not restored to sight until she has given a just 
opinion of some one in accordance with the judgment of the com- 
pany. Those presented must be quite silent, and endeavor to step 
lightly, so as not to let her guess whether she is giving her opinion 
of a young lady or a gentleman. 

The Great Orator. 
A leader of the game is elected; he invites the guests to come 
and hear Mr. Blaine, Mr. Phillips, or any other distinguished 
orator, on any given subject. It requires two persons to deliver 
the oration. The one who is to speak, puts his arms behind his 
back; a shorter friend (well concealed by the window curtains) 
places his arms round the speaker's waist, and supplies with his 
own the latter's Avant of hands. He is then to gesticulate to his 
friends words, and the fun of the performance consists in the singu- 



' HOUSEHOLD AMUSEMENTS. 685 

lar inappropriateness of the action to the speech, the invisible 
gcsticulator making the orator absurd by his gestures. A table 
placed before the speaker, and a good arrangement of the curtains, 
makes the illusion very perfect. The speaker must be able to keep 
his countenance, as his gravity is likely to be severely taxed by his 
friend's pantomimical illustration of his speech. 

This and That. 

This game, also, is a trick. Two players agi-ee what to do. 
One leaves the room, but before she does so her <;ompanion whis- 
pers to her, that when she says the word ^^ that" the right object 
will be indicated. 

Fanny leaves the room. 

Ada. Now one of you must touch something in the room, and 
Fanny will tell us what it was. 

Mabel touches the sofa-cushion. 

Ada. Very well; now call Fanny in. 

Fanny enters. 

Ada. Mabel has just touched something, Fanny; was it this 
(touching a book) ? 

Fanny. No. 

Ada. Is it this (touching her mamma's work)? 

Fanny. No. 

Ada. Is it this flower-pot? 

Fanny. No. 

Ada. Is it this basket? 

Fanny. No. 

Ada. Is it that cushion? 

Fanny. Yes. 



GLOSSARY OF TERMS USED IN COOKING. 



Aspic— A savory jelly. 

AssiKTTiis.— Small eutr6es not more than 
a plate will contaiu. 

Atelet. — A small silver skewer. 

Au Bi.EU.— A French term applied to fish 
boiled in white wine with flavors. 

Au GiiAS. — Dressed with meat gravy. 

An Jus.— In the natural juice, or gravy. 

Au Naturkl.— Plain, simple cookery. 

Baba.— Very light plum-cake, or sweet 
French yeast cake. 

Bain -Marie.— An open vessel which has a 
loose bottom for the reception of hot water. 
It is used to keep sauces nearly at the boil- 
ing point without reduction or burning. 

Baudk. — A thin slice of bacon fat placed 
over any substance specially requiring the 
assistance of fat without larding. 

Battkrie Dii Cuisine.— Complete set of 
cooking apparatus. 

Bavaroisb a l'eau.— Tea sweetened with 
syrup of oapillaire, and flavored with a little 
orange-flower water. 

B.vvAROisi: AU Lait. — Made in the same 
way as the above, but with equal quantities 
of milk and tea. 

Bechamel. — .\. rich white French sauce. 

Bkignet, orFuitter {see Fritter). 

Bisque.— A soup made of shcll-flsh. 

Bi.AN'C. — White broth used to give a more 
delicate appearance to the flesh of fowl, 
lamb, etc. 

Blanch.- Placing anything on the fire in 
cold water until it boils, and after straining 
it off, plunging it into cold water for the 
purpose of rendering it white. Used to 
wliiten poultry, vegetables, etc. 

Blanquutt!!:.— A fricass6e usuallv made of 
thin .siloes of white meat, with white sauce 
thickened with egg yolk. 

Blonde de Veau.— Double veal broth used 
to enrich soups and sauces. 



BouniN.— A delicate compound made of 
quenelle foi'cemeat. 

BouiLH.— Beef which has been boiled in 
making broth. 

BjUillie.— A French dish resembling that 
called hasty pudding. 

Bouillon.— The common soup of France. 

Bjuquet of Herbs. — Parsley, thyme, and 
green onions tied together. 

Bouquet Garni.— The same thing as Fa- 
got, which see. 

Bouuguiq-vote.— A ragoilt of truffles. 

Braise.— Meat cooked iu a closely-covered 
stewpan to prevent evaporation, so that the 
meat retains not only its own juices, but 
those of any other articles, such as bacon, 
herbs, roots and spice put with it. 

Braisiere— A saucepan with ledges to the 
lid, so that it will contain firing. 

Brideh.— To truss fowls with a needle and 
thread. 

Brioche. — A sponge cake similar to Bath 
buns. 

Buisson.— A cluster or bush of small pastry 
piled on a dish. 

C.iLLiPASH.— The glutinous portion of the 
turtle found in the upper shell. 

Callipee.- The glutinous meat of the 
turtle's under shell. 

Cannelons.— Small rolls or collars of 
mincemeat, or of rice and pastry with fruit. 

Capilotade.— A hash of poultry. 

Casserole.— The form of rice to be filled 
with a fricass6e of white meat or a pur6e of 
game; also a stewpan. 

Civet.— A dark, thickish stew of hare or 
venison. 

CoiiprtoNE.— Sweet French yeast cakei 
with fruit. 

Compote.— Fruits stewed in syrup. There 
are also compotes of small birds. 

CoNFiTURES.-Sweetmeats of sugars,fruits» 
syrups, and essences. 



586 



GLOSSARY OF TERMS USED IN COOKING. 



587 



CoxsoMMfi.— strong, clear gravy obtained 
by stewing meat for a considerable length 
of time. 

CouLis.— A rich, smooth gravy used for 
coloring, flavoring, and thickening certain 
soups and sauces. 

Croquettes. — A savory mince of flsh, 
meat, or fowl, made with a little sauce into 
various shapes, rolled in egg and bread- 
crumbs, and fried crisp. 

CouiioN.vE, En. — To serve any prescribed 
articles on a dish in the form of a crown. 

Ceoustacles. — Also known as Dresden 
patties. They are composed of mince en- 
cased in paste, and moulded into various 
forms. 

CiiuUSTADES.— Fried forms of bread to 
serve minces or other meat forms. 

CuouTox.— A sippet of bread fried, and 
used for garnish. 

CuisixB Masquee.— Highly seasoned or 
unusually mixed dishes. 

CuissoN.— Method of cooking meats, or 
the liquor in which they have been boiled. 

Dariole.— A sweet pat6 baked in a mould. 

Daube.— Meat or fowl stewed in sauce. 

Daubiere. — An oval stewpan. 

Dejeuxer a la FouacHETTE.— Breakfast 
with meats, wines, etc. 

Desosser.— To bone. 

Dorure.— Yolks of eggs well beaten for 
covering meats and other dishes. 

Extuee. — A corner - dish for the first 
course. 

E.\ti{Emet.— A side-dish for the second 
course. 

Esc A LOPES.— Collops. 

EsPAGXOLE. — A rich brown Spanish sauce. 

Fag t.— a small bunch of parsley and 
thyme tied up with a bay-leaf. 

Farce.— Forcemeat. 

Feuii.letage. — Puff paste. 

Finaxciere.- An expensive, highly fla- 
vored mixed ragout. 

Flamber.— To singe fowl or game after 
picking. 

Flan.— A French custard. 

Flaxcs.— The side-dishes of large dinners. 

FoNCER. — To put in the bottom of a sauce- 
pan thin slices of veal or bacon. 

FoxuuE.— A light and pleasant prepara- 
tion of cheese. 

Fricanueaux may be made of any boned 
pieces of veal chiefly cut from the thick 



part of the fillet, and of not more than two 
or three pounds weight. 

Fricassee. — Chickens, etc., cut in pieces 
in a white sauce, with truffles, mushrooms, 
etc., as accessories. 

Fritter— Anything encased in a covering 
of batter or eggs, and fried. 

Gateau.— A pudding or baked cake. 

Gauffres. — A light, spongy sort of biscuit. 

Glaze. — Stock boiled down to the thick- 
ness of jelly, and used to improve the ap- 
pearance of braised dishes. 

GoDivEAus. — Various varieties of force- 
meat. 

Gras.— With, or of meat; the reverse of 
maigre. 

Gratin.— Au Gratin.— A term applied to 
certain dishes prepared with sauce and 
baked. 

Gratiner. — To cook like a grill. 

Haricot.— So called from the French 
word for beans, with which the dish was 
originally made. Now understood as any 
thick stew, or ragout of mutton, beef, or 
veal, cut in pieces, and dressed with vege- 
tables and roots. 

Hors-d'ceuvres. — Small dishes of sar- 
dines, anchovies, and other relishes. 

Lardiniere. — Vegetables stewed down in 
their own sauce. 

Lardon.— The piece of bacon used in lard- 
ing. 

Liaison. — The mixture of egg and cream 
used to thicken white soups, etc. 

Lit.— Thin slices in layers. 

Luting. — A paste to fasten lids on pie- 
pans for preserving game. 

Madeliexes. — Small plum cakes. 

Maigre. — Without meat. 

Marinade.— The liquor in which fish or 
meat is steeped. 

Mask.— To cover meat with any rich sauce, 
ragout, etc. 

Matelote. — A rich flsh stew with wine. 

Mayonxaisk.— Cold sauce, or salad dress- 
ing. 

Mazarines, or Turbans. — Ornamental en- 
tries of forcemeat and fillets of poultry, 
game, or fish. 

Menu —The bill of fare. 

Meringue.- Light pastry made of sugar 
and the white of .eggs beaten to " snow." 

MiGNoxNETTB Pjbppkb.— -Coarscly ground 
peppercorns. 



588 



GLOSSARY OP TERMS USED IN COOKING. 



MiROTON.— Small thin slices of meat about 
as lai-RO as a crown piece inade into ragouts 
of various kinds, and dished up in a circular 
form. 

MouiLLER.— To add broth, water or other 
liquid while the cooking is proceeding. 

NouiiAr.— Almond candy. 

NouiLLES. — Strips of paste made of eggs 
and flour. 

Panad.\.— Soaked bread used in the pre- 
paration of French forcemeat. 

Pani:i{. — To cover with bread-crumbs fried 
or baked food. 

Papillote, En. — The pieces of paper 
greased with oil and butter, and fastened 
round a cutlet, etc., by twisting it along the 
edge. 

PATfi.— A small pie. 

Paupiettes.— Slices of meat rolled. 

PiEca DE Resistance. —The jarincipal 
joint of the dinner. 

Pilau.— A dish of meat and rice. 

Piquer. — To lard with strips of bacon fat, 
etc. 

Poel^e. — Stock for boiling tnrkeys, fowls, 
vegetables, instead of water, so as to render 
them less insipid. 

PoTAGK.— Soup. 

Puintaniers. — Early spring vegetables. 

Profiterolles.— Light pastry creamed 
inside. 

PuKfeE.— The name given to soup, the in- 
gredients for thickening which have been 
passed through a sieve, then thinned with 
broth to the proper consistency. Meat and 
fish are cooked and pounded in a mortar, 
roots and vegetables arc stewed till soft in 
order to prepare them for being thus con- 
verted to a smooth pulp. 

Quenelles.— Forcemeat of various kinds 
composed of fish cr meat, with bread, yolk 
of egg, and some kind of fat, seasoned in 
different ways, formed with a spoon to an 
oval shape, then poached in stock and used 
either as garnish to entries, or to be served 
separately. 

RAnouT.— A rich sauce, with sweetbreads, 
mushrooms, truffles, etc., in it. 



EEi.Evfis. — The remove dishes. 

Kemoulade.— Salad-dressing. 

PlIfacimento.— Meat dressed a second 
time. 

Rissole. — A mince of fish or meat en- 
closed in paste, or foimed into balls and 
other shapes. Used either as side-dishes or 
garnish. (,Sce also Fricassees.) 

RoTi.— Roast meat. 

Roux.— A mixture of butter and flour 
used for thickening white soups and gravy_ 

Salmi. — A hash of game cut up aud 
dressed when only half roasted. 

Santon.— To dress with sauce in the sauce- 
pan by keeping it in motion. 

Sauce Piquast. — A sharp sauce in which 
lemon and vinegar predominate as a flavor. 

S.\ut£-pax.— A thin-bottomed, shallow 
pan for quick frying. 

Sauter.— To toss over the fire in a saut6- 
pan with a small quantity of fat only. 

Sei.viette, a la. — Served in a napkin. 

Sippets.— Small pieces of bread cut into 
various shapes, either soaked in stock, 
toasted, or fried, to serve with meats as 
garnishing or borders. 

SouFFLf;.— A light pudding. 

Stock.— The broth of which soups are 
made. 

Tamis or "Tammy."— a strainer of fine 
woolien canvas, used for straining soups and 
sauces. 

TniDALE.— A sort of pie made in a mould. 

TuuRTE.— A tart baked ia a sliallow tin. 

Trifle. — A second-course dish, made of 
sponge cake, macaroons, jams, etc., brandy 
or wine, and liqueurs. 

Trousser.— To truss a bird. 

TunBANS (see Mazarines). 

Vanxer, T'\— To make a sauce smooth by 
rapidly lifting it high in large spoonfuls,and 
allowing it to fall quickly agaiu for some 
time. 

VELOUTfi.— Rich sauce used to heighten 
the flavor of soups and made dishes. 

Vol-au-vent.— A li"ht puff paste, cut 
round or oval, enclosing any delicate mince- 
meat. 



CONTENTS. 



I. Bread-Making. Page 

liread 7 

Yeast that will not sour 8 

A good reliable yeast 9 

Another good yeast 9 

Good home-made bread 9 

Yeast bread 10 

p..tatobread (2) 11 

Wilk-sponge bread 11 

Salt-rising bread (-i) 12 

Corn bread 12 

Corn bread (3) 13 

Grand rjiother's Indian bread 13 

Quick Graham, bread 13 

Baking-powder Graham bi-ead 13 

Brown bread of Graham flour 14 

Graham bread (2) 14 

Brown bread 14 

Brown bread 15 

Boston brown bread 15 

Rye bread 15 

Rye and Indian Bread 16 

Rye bread with baking-powder 16 

Hoyleton bread 16 

Norwegian bread for dyspeptics 16 

Oatmeal bread 17 

Rice bread 17 

IT. Brej^fast and Tea Caees. 

Light biscuit 18 

Butter biscuit 18 

Soda biscuit 18 

Dixie biscuit 18 

Baking-powder biscuit 19 

Cream of tartar biscuit 19 

English biscuit 19 

Graham biscuit 19 

Cold biscuit 20 

Buns (3) 20 

Cinnamon cake 20 

Graham cakes 21 

Bye drop cakes 21 

Corn c ;kes 21 

Johnny cake 21 

Newport breakfast cakes 21 

Potato cakes 21 

Griddle Cakes. 

Stale bread griddle cakes 22 

Corn meal griddle cakes 22 

Rice griddle cakes 22 

Flour griddle cakes 22 

Green corn griddle cakes 22 

Hominy gridUlo cakes 22 



Paqk 

Crumb corn cakes 22 

Flannel cakes 23 

Buckwheat cakes 23 

Graliam grid<lle cakes 23 

Squash, pumpkin, and apple griddle 

cakes 23 

Berry griddle cakes 23 

Egg cracknels 24 

Oatmeal crackers 24 

Graham crackei's 24 

Crumpets 25 

London crumpets 25 

Kentucky corn dodgers 25 

Fr liters. 

Green corn fritters (2) 26 

Apple fritters .. 26 

Celery fritters 26 

Oyster fritters 20 

Ciam fri! ters 27 

Lobster fritters 27 

Rice fritters 27 

Blackberry fritters 27 

Gems. 

Graham gems (3) 28 

Cold water gems 2'^ 

Mixed gems 28 

Oatmeal gems 28 

Mujjins. 

Muffln« (3) 29 

Kice Hour muffins 29 

Rice muffins 29 

Graham muffins (2) 30 

Corn meal uiufflns 30 

Mush. 

Cornmeal mush 30 

Oatmeal mush 30 

Cracked wlieat mush 30 

Crack(^<l wheat mush 31 

Fried mush for breakfast 31 

Hominy 31 

Pujs. 

Puffs 31 

Graham puffs (2) 31 

Oatmeal i>ufrs 33 

Potato puffs 32 

Creani puffs 3- 

Puffets 32 

Proverbs ;j* 

Pocket books J" 



689 



590 



CONTENTS. 



Rolls. 



Paqe 



How to make rolls (2) 33 

Cinnamon rolls 33 

Parker House rolls 33 

"White Mountain rolls 3 4 

Oatmeal rolls 3t 

Vienna tuist rolls . 31 

Italian rolls 35 

Oraham breakfast lolls 35 

French rolls 35 

Tremont House rolls 35 

Eosettes 36 

Rusks. 

Sweet rusks (2) 36 

Rusks 3(j 

Baking-powder rusks 37 

Scones 3i' 

Scotch scones 37 

Sally lunn 37 

Sally lunn 33 

Plain short cake 38 

Scotch short cake 38 

Sandwiches. 

Ham sandwiches 38 

Egg sandwiches 3) 

Sardine sandwiches 3.) 

School lunch sandwiches 3) 

Oyster sandwiches 39 

Tongue or ham sandwiches SO 

Toast. 

Cream toast 40 

Breakfast toast 40 

Cheese and agg toast 40 

Ham toast 40 

Spanish toast 41 

Fried bread 41 

Waffles. 

Waffles (4) 41 

Bread waffles 40 

Eice waffles 42 

Graham wafers 43 

Sweet wafers 42 

in. Cake. 

Almond cake (2) 4.3 

Adelaide cake 43 

Apple cake 44 

Angel's food 44 

Andalusia sponge cake 44 

Black fruit cake 44 

Bride cake (2; 45 

Bread cake 4,5 

Black cake 46 

Bridgeport cake " 46 

Butternut cake 46 

Boston cream cake 46 

Cocoanut cake 46 

Cocoanut cake 47 

Chocolate cake 47 

Corn starch cake (2) 47 

Coffee cake 4S 

Chocolate eclaires 48 

Charlotte cachee 4S 

Cider cako 48 I 



^ Page 

Cake without eggs 49 

Cream puffs 49 

Citron cake 49 

Cream cake 49 

Chocolate cake 49 

Christmas cake 50 

Cinnamon cake 50 

Cinnamon cake 51 

Cup cake 51 

Cocoanut pound cake 51 

Clove cake 51 

Delicate cake 5i 

Delicious cake 53 

Drop cake 52 

Dough cake ,53 

Dover cake 52 

Dundee cake 53 

Dried apple cake 53 

Election cake 53 

Every-day fruit cake 53 

Eggless cake 53 

English Cliristmas cake 53 

Fruit cake from dough 54 

Fruit cake (2) 54 

Fruit jelly cake 54 

Favorite lemon jelly cake 55 

Fig cake (2) . 55 

French loaf cake 55 

Feather cake 55 

Feather cake 56 

Gold cake 56 

Gentleman's cake £6 

Ginger drop cake C6 

Ginger-bread loaf 56 

Ginger-bread 57 

Soft ginger-bread (2) 57 

Ginger cup cake 57 

Groom's cake 57 

Graham cup cake 53 

Hickory-nut cake 58 

Hickory-nut drop cake 58 

Huckleberry cake 58 

Honey cake 58 

Imperial cake 59 

Ice cream cake 59 

Jelly cake 59 

Jell V rolls 59 

Kaffee Kuchen 59 

Knickerbocker cake 60 

Lemon cake (2) 60 

Lemon jelly cake 60 

Lady cake 61 

Lunch cake 61 

Light cake 61 

Loaf cake 61 

Marbled cake 61 

Mountain cake 62 

Madeira cake 62 

IMolasses cake (2) 63 

Marbled chocolate cake 63 

Moreton farm cake 63 

Nut cake 63 

Nut cake 64 

White nut cake 61 

Neapolitan cake 61 

Lady fingers 64 

( >range cake (2) 65 

IVrfectioa cake 65 

Pork cake 66 

Portuguese cake 66 

Puff cake 66 



CONTENTS. 



691 



Paoe 

Pine-apple cake 66 

Pound cake without soda 67 

Cocoanut pound cake 67 

Pound cake 67 

Plum cake 67 

Quincy cake ^ . . . 67 

Queen cake 68 

Railroad cake 68 

Reception cake 68 

Rice cake 68 

Rochester jelly cake 6S 

Silver cake 69 

Snow cake 69 

Swiss cake 69 

Sponge cake, Delicious 09 

Sponge cake with hot water 70 

Sponge cake 70 

Sponge cake, White 70 

Sultana cake 70 

Spice cake 71 

Seed cake 71 

Tunbridge cake 71 

Taylor cake 71 

Wedding cake 71 

Wedding cake 73 

Vainlla cake 74 

Washington cake 74 

Wine cake 75 

Webster cake 75 

Watermelon cake 75 

White cake 75 

Yule cake 75 

Crullers (3) 76 

Cookies, Jumbles, and Snaps. 

Almond cookies 70 

Almond cookies 77 

Cocoanut cookies 77 

Cookies (2) 77 

Cream cookies 77 

Cookies (2). 78 

Eggless cookies 78 

Ginger cookies 78 

Graham cookies 78 

Molasses cookies 78 

Sugar cookies 79 

Hickory-nut cookies 79 

Sand tarts 79 

Jumbles (2) 79 

Ginger snaps (5J) 79 

Ginger snaps 80 

Doughnuts 80 

Doughnuts without egg 80 

Doughnuts raised 80 

Cream doughnuts 80 

Fried cakes 81 

Snow balls, white 81 

IV. Creams and Costards. 

Apple snow 82 

Apple float 82 

Almond cream 82 

Bavaroise 82 

Blanc mange 83 

Cream a la mode 83 

Coffee cream 83 

Bavarian cream 83 

Chocolate Bavarian cream 84 

Caledonia cream 84 



Paob 

Charlotte Russe elegante 84 

Charlotte Russe (2) 84 

Fruit Charlotte 85 

Genoese cream 85 

Italian cream 85 

Manioca cream 86 

Russe cream 86 

Rock cream 86 

Spanish cream 86 

Tapioca cream 86 

Whipped cream 87 

Whipped cream sauce 87 

Almond custard 87 

Apple custard 87 

Boiled custard 87 

Baked custard 88 

Chocolate custard 88 

Coffee custard 88 

Corn starch custard 88 

Cocoanut custard 88 

Cold cup custard 89 

Caramel custard 89 

I-emon custard 89 

Bloonshine 89 

Floating island (2) 90 

Irish moss 90 

Quaking custard 90 

Orange snow 91 

V. Confectionery. 

General directions 92 

Almond candy 92 

Almond creams 92 

Bon Bons 92 

Butter Scotch 93 

Boston caramels 93 

Cream cocoanut candy 93 

Cocoanut candy 93 

Cocoanut caramels 93 

Chocolate caramels 93 

Chocolate cream drops 94 

Chocolate kisses &4 

Fruit candy 94 

Hickory-nut candy 94 

Horehound candy 94 

Lemon cream candy 95 

Lemon and peppermint drops 95 

Molasses candi' 96 

White molasses candy 96 

Peanut candy 96 

Pop corn balls 97 

Taffy 97 

Efferton taffy 97 

Vinegar candy (2) 98 

Walnut candy 98 

Meringues 98 

Cream meringues 99 

Macaroons 99 

Bachelor buttons 99 

Corn starch ratefles 99 

VI. Catsups. 

Currant catsup 100 

Cucumber catsup 101 

Gooseberry catsup 101 

Plum catsup 101 

Tomato catsup 101 

Tomato catsup 102 

Mushroom catsup (See " Mushrooms.") 



692 



CONTENTS. 



Vn. Desserts. Page 

Puddings .103 

To youiijiT housekeepers 105 

Arrowroot pudding 1^6 

Almond pudding 1^6 

Pie-plant Charlotte lOii 

Croquettes of rice 107 

Bombes au riz . . l'J7 

Green corn pudding 103 

Cottage pudding 108 

Cranberry roll 108 

Delinouioo pudding 1.8 

Eve's pudding 109 

Fig pudding 109 

Fruit pudding 109 

Baked facina pudding 109 

Plain fruit pudding 109 

Florentine pudding 110 

Gelatine pudding 110 

Ginger pudding 110 

Honeycouib pudding 110 

Huckleberry pudding Ill 

Hen's nest Ill 

Indian pudding Ill 

Apple pudding Ill 

Apple batter pudding Ill 

Apple float 112 

Apple slump 113 

Baked apple dumplings 112 

Apple surprised 112 

Amber pudding 113 

Ambrosia 113 

Apple omelette 113 

Apple Charlotte 113 

Bancroft pudding 114 

Bread pudding 114 

Banana and apple tart lU 

Bird's nest pudding (2} 114 

Cabinet pudding 115 

Cream batter pudding 115 

Cracker pudding 115 

Chocolate pudding 115 

Charlotte pudding 115 

Cottage pudding 116 

Custard bread pudding ll(j 

Cocoanut pudding 110 

Cream pudding 116 

Crumti pudding 117 

Irish roek 117 

Jelly rice 117 

Jelly custard US 

Jelly tartlets U>i 

Kiss pudding 118 

Lemon pudding Il8 

Lem)n trifle 118 

Lemon pudding 119 

Meringue rice pnddhig 110 

Malagan pudding 119 

Mitchell pudding 110 

Maud's pudding 119 

Orange pudding 13) 

Christmas plum pudding 120 

Pluiu pudding 120 

English plum pudding 121 

Plum pudding 121 

Rich plum pudding 121 

Baked plum pudding 123 

Poor man's pudding 122 

Raisin puffs 122 

Roly poly pudding 122 



Page 

Rice pudding 123 

Sago pudiling 133 

Suet pudding 133 

Steamed pudding 1£i 

Snow pudding 123 

Steamed pudding 13t 

Strawberry short-cake (2) 124 

Tapioca pudding (2) 125 

To jook rice 1 25 

Vegetable pudding 125 

Whipped syllabubs 125 

Yankee pudding 126 

Pudding Sauces. 

Sweet sauce 126 

Fruit sauce 136 

Fruit pudding sauce 126 

Arrowroot sauce 127 

German custard sauce 127 

Pudding Sauce • 137 

Pies. 

Puff paste 127 

Pie crust 138 

Good and cheap pie crust 128 

Pie crust glaze 129 

Pie crust for four small pies 120 

Tart crust 129 

Icing pastry 129 

Puft' paste with beef suet 130 

Apricot pie 130 

Apple pie 130 

Apple custard pie I'W 

Boiled cii ler pie 130 

Banana pie 130 

Cracker pie . . 131 

Chocolate pie 131 

Cocoanut pie 131 

Jelly custard 131 

Custard pie 131 

Cream pie (2) 132 

Custard for cream pie. . . 133 

Delicate pie 132 

Lemon pie 132 

Fruit pie 133 

Lemon pie 133 

Mince meat (2) 133 

Mince pie 133 

Mince pie 134 ' 

Mince meat without meat 134 

Jlarlborough pie 134 

Orange pie 135 

Cream peach pie 1 35 

Pine-apple pie 135 

Pumpkin pie 135 

Potato pie 136 

Sweet potato pie (2) 136 

Apple or peach meringue pie 1-7 

Peach pie 137 

Quince pie 137 

Cream raspberry pie 137 

Raisin pie 138 

Rhubarb pie 1"^ 

Rice pie 138 

Squash pie 138 

Vinegar pie 138 

Tarts... 139 



CONTENTS. 



593 



VTH, Dunnes. Page 

Coffee ] ;0 

Coffee substitutes 143 

Novel mode of making coffee l-ti 

Tea 144 

Iced tea 145 

A good summer drink 145 

Cottage beer 145 

Ginger beer 145 

Spruce beer ] 46 

Iced buttermilk 14G 

Claret cup 14C 

Fruit cup 146 

Cream of tartar drink 147 

Jelly drinks 147 

Simon-pure lemonade 147 

Jelly lemonade 147 

Ginger lemonade 148 

Berry sher^^et 148 

Excellent mead 148 

IX. Eggs and Omelettes. 

Remarks 149 

Breaded eggs 150 

Egg a la mode 150 

How to bake eggs 150 

Egg baskets ino 

To pickle eggs 151 

Scrambled eggs 151 

To poach rggs 151 

Stuffed eggs 153 

Omelette (d) 152 

Apple omelette 153 

Oyster omelette 153 

Omelette souffle 153 

French omelette 153 

Omelette with" ham 154 

Eggs a la bonne femme 154 

X. Fresh Fruits. 

Pine-apples 155 

A nice way to prepare apples 155 

To stew apples 155 

Bananas anil cream 155 

To crj'stallize fruit 155 

To keep grapes 156 

Melons l."6 

Oranges 156 

Candied cherries ir,6 

Stewed pears ]."7 

Glace cherries 157 

Candied lemon-peel 157 

XI. Cannxng Fruit. 

General directions 159 

Table for canning fruit 16') 

Applesauce 160 

Canning pine-apple 16 ) 

Canning pine-apple Hil 

Canning berries 16! 

Canning pears 161 

Canning peaches lOt 

Dried peaches 16:3 

XII. Ices and Ice-Creaus. 

Remarks 163 

Berry cream 164 

Bui'nt sugar ice-cream lt>4 

38 



^, Pagk 

Chocolate ice-cream i64- 

Uoffee ice-ci earn ]64 

Lemon ice-cream i6t 

Peach ice-cream ] 05. 

Pine-apple ice-cream ]65 

Orange ice-cream 105. 

Strawberry and raspberry ice-cream .. . 165 

Vanilla ice-cream ] 65 

Cocoanut ice-cream ]65 

Frozen tapioca custard 166 

Frozen rice custard 166 

Frozen sago custard 166 

Water-ices 166 

Cherry water-ice and nut cream 166 

Strawberry water-ice 167 

Itaspberry water-ice 167 

Burnt almond ice-cream and orange ice. 167 

Biscuit glaces las 

Rateffe biscuit cream ]68 

Tutti frutti ]68 

Gelatine paste for ornamenting ices. . 16!) 

I'ine-apple sherbet 169 

To color ice creams or water-ices 169 

Xm. Icings. 

Remarks 171 

Almond icing 171 

Boiled icing (2) 171 

Chocolate icing (2) ]7i 

Chocolate icing 173 

Clear icing for cake 173 

Icing for cakes 172 

Tuti i frutti frosting 172 

Lemon fiosting 172 

Ornamental icing 173 

Yellow icing i'.'Z 

Rose coloring 173 

XTV. Jams and Jellies. 

Remarks 174 

Apricot jam 175 

Marmalades and jams 175 

Apple jams 175 

Berry or currant jam I7ft 

Grape, gooseberry, or plum jam 176 

Apple marmalade l';6 

Orange marmalade 17S 

Pine-apple marmalade 177 

Peach marmalade I7r 

Quince marmalade 177 

Plum marmalade 178 

Pumpkin marmalade 178 

Apple jelly 178 

Blackberry jelly 179 

Cranberry jelly ] 79 

Crab-apple jelly 179 

Currant jelly 179 

Cm-rant jelly 180 

Grape jelly ISO 

Peach jelly 181 

Pieplant jelly 181 

Quince jelly (2) 181 

Coffee jelly 182 

Lemon snow jelly 182 

Lemon jelly 182 

Orange jelly 183 

Wine jelly 183 

Mouldiness 183- 



594 



CONTENTS. 



XV. MnsHROOMS. Page 

Remarks 184 

Mushrooms au gralin 184 

Mushrooms a la proviucale 183 

Mushrooms a la creme 18.3 

Mushrooms, baked 185 

Mushroouis, breakfast 18) 

Mushrooms, currieJ — 1' l) 

Mushrooms en eaisse 18ti 

Mushroom catsup 180 

Mushrooms en ragout 18(j 

Mushrooms with bacon 18/ 

Mushroom stems IST 

Mushrooms, to stew l^ 

Muslirooms, to pot 188 

Mushrooms and toast (2) 188 

Mushrooms, to pickle {2) 18k) 

XVI. Pickles. 

Remarks 100 

Pickled artichokes 1 JI 

Pickled butternuts and walnuts 101 

Pickled beans 10^ 

Pickled beets 10^ 

Pickled broccoli IJ^ 

Bottled pickles 103 

Mary's pickled blackberries lOJ 

To put up cucumbers in brine VXi 

Pickled cabbage {2) l;)t 

Pickled cauliflower (2) 191 

Pickled cucumbers 194 

Cliow-chow (2) 105 

Pickled cherries 105 

French pickles 106 

Pickled grapes (2) 106 

To harden pickles 106 

Lemon pickles 106 

Mangoes of melons i'J7 

Imitation pickled mangoes 197 

Pickled nasturtiums 107 

Pickled onions (2) 197 

Pickles 108 

Stuffed peppers 108 

Mixed pickles (2) 198 

India pickles 190 

Py per pickles 199 

Kagan pickles 199 

Sweet pickles 199 

Sweet apple pickles 200 

Sweet tomato pickles 200 

Green tomato pickles 200 

Picalilli 201 

Picklette 201 

Spiced vinegar for pickles generally 201 

Pickled peaches 201 

Pickled peaches that will keep 202 

To pickle plums 202 

Green tomato soy 202 

To keep tomatoes whole 203 

Pickled toijuioes 203 

XVII. Presbeves. 

Apple preserves (2) 204 

Apricot preserves 204 

Citron preserves 204 

Currant preserves 205 

Citron preserves 205 

Lemon preserves 205 

Brandied berries or cherries 205 



Page 

Proserved oranges 206 

P.-eserved pine-apple 206 

i'reserved plums or cherries 206 

Preserved purple plums 207 

Preserved pt;ars 207 

Preserved peaciies #. 207 

Brandy peaches 207 

Quince pieserves 208 

Pieserving strawberries 208 

Green tomato preserves 209 

Ripe tomato preserves 209 

Spiced ciirrauts. 209 

Spiced gooseberries 209 

Spiced giapes 210 

Spiced nutmeg melons 210 

Spiced peaches 210 

Spiced plums 210 

Spiced plums 211 

XVIII. Vegetables. 

Remarks 213 

Potatoes, how to cook 216 

Artichokes, fried 216 

Asparagus, boiled 216 

Asparagus, fricassfied 217 

Egg broccoli 217 

Beets and potatoes 217 

Beans, Lima 218 

Beans, string 218 

Brussels sprouts 218 

Carrots, stewed 218 

Celery 219 

Celery, fried 219 

Cf lery , stewed 219 

Cabbage, cream 219 

Cabbage a la cauliflower 219 

Cabbage, boiled 219 

Cabbage, baked 220 

Hot slaw 220 

Cauliflower 220 

Cauliflower a la Francaise 221 

Cauliflower with stuffing 221 

Cauliflower with sauce 221 

Corn, for winter use 221 

Corn, baked 222 

Corn, green on the cob 222 

Corn oysters 222 

Corn, stewed 222 

Cucumbers, stewed 223 

Celery 223 

Celery, fried 233 

Carrots 223 

Carrots, boiled 233 

Dandelion 224 

Endive, stewed 224 

Egg plant (3)........ 224 

Egg plant, fricasseed •«24 

Egg plant, stuffed 225 

Garlic 225 

Greens, stewed 225 

Horse-radish as garnish 226 

Lettuce 226 

Lettuce, stuffed 236 

Macaroni 226 

Macaroni as a vegetable 2-'6 

Macaroni with oysters 227 

Macaroni with tomatoes 227 

Macaroni, stewed 237 

Onions, boiled 238 

Onions, ormaloo 228 



CONTENTS. 



595 



Paoe 

Onions, scalloped '^j^ 

Okra, boiled ~fl 

Vegetable oysters ^f^ 

Mock stewed oysters ~*° 

Parsley if 

Parsley, crisp 5~j^ 

Parsley, fried ~5^* 

Parsnips ~~° 

Parsnips, fried ~^" 

Parsnip stew ^^f 

Pease, canned • •. f-^Y 

Pease, Krench way of cooking ^W 

Pease, green g^J 

Potato balls ~;^} 

Potato bulls, English f-i\ 

Potatoes, browned '^^^ 

Potatoes, southern baked 

Potatoes, cream 

Potato croquettes ^-^ 

Potato cake *^.* 

Potatoes, fried (2) • • • f*^ 

Potatoes, mashed ^*j 

Potatoes, surprised *^* 

Potato puff ^1* 

Potato pie 2o i 

Potato, purSeof ~*i 

Potato loaves ^:p 

Potatoes, Saratoga ^'W 

Potatoes, Lyoimaise *■» 

Potatoes, old ^ 

Potatoes, tossed ^. 



2:« 



Potatoes, sweet. 



236 



Potatoes, sweet, baked ^36 

A fanner's dainty dish ^;50 

Rice as a vegetable g;* 

Succotash ^ii 

Spinach • ~'.^i. 

Spinach, cream of ^^i. 

Squash, winter ^^' 

Squash, stuffed *• ' 

Turnips i^ 

Turnips, mashed *'5" 

Tomatoes a la creme ^^» 

Tomatoes, browned g;" 

Tomatoes, baked fj^ 

Tomatoes, baked g^» 

Tomatoes, broiled 

Tomatoes, fried 

Tomatoes, scalloped 

Tomatoes, stuffed ■ • ■ • 

French butter for frying vegetables 240 

Rules for cooking vegetables «J4U 



239 
231) 
239- 
239 



XIX. Fish. 



242 



Page 

Mackerel, salt 248 

Cod, baked ^9 

Pike, boiled 249 

Turbot 250 

Whitefish, to fry 250 

Salmon 250 

XX. Shell Fish. 

Clams 251 

Clam bake ^-^J 

Clam chowder g°l 

Clam fritters f^^ 

Clams, fried *^~ 

Clam pie J^^ 

Clam stew *?* 

Clam soup ~E'* 

Crabs J,?^ 

Crabs, soft ~^^ 

Crabs, scalloped ^2* 

Frogs *?* 

Lobster croquettes *■?* 

Lobster cutlet *?^ 

Lobsters, fried *°* 

Lobster patties ^^ 

Lobster rissoles *^^ 

Lobster salad ~?* 

Lobster, broiled f^° 

Lobsters en brochette ^o» 

Lobsters, i oastod *5~ 

Lobsters, gratin of ■ ■ • *?^ 

Oysters, broiled 'f^ 

Oyster chowder f^' 

Oyster croquettes *?' 

CH-sters, fricasseed g^/ 

Oysters, fried ~-?' 

Oysters, fried ^2% 

Oyster and chiqken pie ^?o 

Oysters t>calloped gO» 

Oyster stew. Park Row... ■f^ 

Oysters, Maryland stewed ^?» 

Oysters, plain stew *'^» 

Oyster sauce f^ 

Oyster pie...... ^^ 

Oysters, pickled 5°" 

Oyster patties • f°" 

Oyster pot-pie. ^°^ 

Oysters, roasted *°" 

Oysters, fancy roast ^w 

Oysters a la l^oulette *oj 

Oysters, raw *°J 

Oysters with toast *oj 

Oyster flavor f°\ 

Oysters, new way of preparing f^i 

Scallops ••■•:• 1; Sfio 

Terrapins, or water turtles <"■' 



Remarks XT, 

Fish, baked ^Il 

Fi.sh, to boil STT 

Fish, boiled 571 

Fish, baked black *t: 

Trout, brook "ti 

Flounders ^1- 

Halibut V •••■•,;•• :, ^5 

Perch, eels, and small pike f^j 

Eels, potted fyVl 

Eels, collared *;!" 

Sturgeon Xlf 

Cod's head t.a 

Codfish, fresh JIR 

Codfish, salt ■^ 

Codfish balls '**° 



XXI. Game. 

Game, to select 

Birds, to pot 

Birds, reed ••:••,■ :<. 

Birds, reed, k la Lmdentnorpe 

Prairie cliickens, roast 

Prairie chicken • ■.;„■;„ 

Partridges, pheasants, and quaUs, to 
roast 

Quail on toast • • ■ • • 

Quail, or woodcock, to broil 

Pigeon pie 

Pigeon, roast (2) 

Pigeon compote 



264 
265 
265 
265 
266 
266 



266 
266 
267 
267 
267 
867 



596 



CONTENTS. 



Page 

Duck, wild ~U -i 

Goose, wild JitH 

Hare, roast iiO.) 

Hare, a nice way to prepare cold ^f) ) 

ilabbit, mast ati'J 

iRabbit, with herbs 2ii9 

Venison chops 26J 

Venison, epicurean 2,0 

Venison patties 270 

XXII. Marketing. 

Remarks— beef 271 

Sections of bullock.. . .' 2;2 

Sections of sheep and lamb 273 

Mutton 273 

Pork 274 

Veal 274 

Veal, section of 27> 

Turkeys 275 

Fowls 275 

Geese 2;6 

Ducks 276 

XXIII. Meats. 

Beef, aitchbone of, to carve 277 

Steak, to make tough tender 277 

Beef, brisket of, to carve 278 

Sti^ak, broiled (2) 278 

Steak, rump, with oyster sauce 278 

Steak, to trv 279 

Ste ik, German way of frying .% 27'9 

Steak smothered with onions 279 

Steak pie 279 

Bi-ef, ribs of, to carve 28i) 

Beef, ribs of, to roast 28) 

B'^'f, sirloin of, to roast 280 

Bjef, sirloin of, to carve 281 

Bet- f balls 281 

Beef, flll6t of 2-<l 

Beef, a good and cheap way to cook ... 28 J 

Beef a la mode 282 

Beef pounded 283 

Bei'f croquettes 28S 

Bi-ef, deviled 283 

Beef sausages 283 

Beefaugratin 284 

Beef heart 281 

Bi'ef, dried, in cream 281 

Beef omelette 281 

Beef tongue, broiled 28 1 

Beef, to boil S8"> 

Beef tongue, roasted ;i85 

Tripe 285 

Tripe a. la Lyonnaise with tomatoes 2'^5 

Bullock's heart, roasted 286 

Calf's heart, roasted 286 

Calf's heart, fried 286 

Sheep's heart, baked 287 

Sweetbreads 287 

Sweetbreads, fried 287 

Sweetbreads, baked 287 

Sweetbreads, broiled 288 

Sweetbreads and cauliflower 288 

Sweetbreads, tomato 288 

Kidne3S, broiled or roasted 289 

Kidneys, stewed 289 

Liver," fried 289 

Liver, fried 290 

Lamb, roast quarter of 290 

Lamb chops, fried 290 



Lamb chops, broiled 291 

Lamb, stewed with green pease 291 

Lamb cutlets yyi 

Mutton, boiled breast of 291 

Mutton, liaunch of, a la venison 291 

Mutton, breast of, with pease 292 

Mutton, curried 29i 

'Mutton chops 293 

Mutton cutlets k la minute 293 

Mutton cutlet and pur6e of potatoes 293 

Mutton, boiled leg of 293 

Mutton kebobed 294 

Mutton leg of, to carve 294 

Mutton, leg of, roast 295 

Mutton cutlets with Provencale sauce.. 295 

Pork, to keep fresh in summer 296 

Pork, to cook 296 

Pork, belly, rolled and boiled 297 

Pork brawn 297 

Pork chops, broiled 298 

Pork cliops. fried 298 

Pork cutlets, broiled 298 

Pork, leg of. good as goose 298 

Pork cutlets, fried 299 

Pork, boiled leg of, with pease pudding. 299 

Pork pies 299 

Pork, roast loin of 300 

Pork cake 300 

Pork sausage 300 

Pork and beans 300 

Pressed head 301 

Pig's feet, boiled 301 

Pig's feet cheese 301 

Pig, to roast a sucking .303 

Hams, to cure 303 

Ham pie 302 

Ham boned 303 

Ham baked 303 

Ham and eggs 303 

Ham boiled 303 

Smoked meat on toast 303 

Ham balls 304 

Ham garnished and ornamented 304 

Ham, to glaze 3i)l 

Veal, collared breast of 3iV4 

Veal, boiled breast of 305 

Veal, ragout of breast of 305 

Veal, roasted breast of 305 

Veal, bubble and squeak of 3i)6 

Veal cake 306 

Veal scallop 306 

Calf's head, boiled 306 

Calf's brains el la ravigote 307 

X5IV. Poultry. 

Chicken saute d, la Marengo 308 

Capon ranaque 309 

Chicken f ricass§ed 310 

Chicken pie 3 

Chicken, frying 31 1 

Chicken salad 311 

Chicken croquettes 311 

Chicken, baked 312 

Chicken, a nice way to cook 313 

Chicken pudding 3i2 

Chicken or veal jellied 312 

Chicken scalloped 313 

Chicken pot-pie 313 

Chicken broiled 313 

Ducks a la Fransaise 313 



CON'^ENTS. 



597 



Page 

Ducks 3, la mode 314 

Ducks, baked 314 

Ducks, braised 314 

Chicken, pressed 314 

Ducks braised with turnips 315 

Ducks, fricass6ed 315 

Ducks, mock 315 

Fowls, minced 315 

Fowls, roast, to carve 316 

Croquettes 316 

Goose, roast, to carve 317 

Goose, to boil r 317 

Goose, roast 317 

Stuffing 318 

Turkey 318 

Turkey, carving of 319 

Turkey or capon, boiled 319 

Turkey, roast (2) 320 

Turkey, boiled 321 

Turkey dressed with oysters 3<;i 

Turkey, deviled 321 

Turkey scallop 322 

Stuffing, plain 322 

Stuffing, apple 322 

Stuffing, potato 323 

Stuffing, chestnut 323 

XXV. Salads. 

Salad, anchovy 324 

Salad, artichoke 324 

Salad, beetroot 324 

Salad, chicken 324 

Salad, chicken 325 

Salad, cabbage 325 

Salad, fish 325 

Salad, hot egg 325 

Salad, endive with winter 326 

Salad, lettuce (2) 326 

Salad, lobster 326 

Salad, game 327 

Salad, orange 327 

Salad, potato 327 

Salad, salmon 328 

Salad, Russian .328 

Salad, summer 328 

Salad, Sidney Smith's dressing for 329 

Salad and vegetables 329 

Salad, water-cress 3.30 

Salad dressing (2) 330 

XXVI. Sauces, Soups AND Forcemeats. 
General remarks 331 

Stock ms 

Soup, bean 334 

Soup, asparagus 334 

Soup, beef 335 

Soup, common 3.35 

Soup, clam 335 

Soup, corn 3-36 

Soup, French vegetable 336 

Soup, egg 336 

Sou|», chicken 336 

Soup, cabbage 337 

Soup, green pea 337 

Soup, gumbo 337 

Soup, gumbo, plain 3.38 

Soup, lobster .338 

Soup, macaroni (2) 338 

Soup, mock terrapin 339 

Soup, mock turtle 339 



Paob 

Soup, mutton 339 

Soup, mushroom 340 

Soup, ox-tail 340 

Soup, oyster 340 

Noodles for soup 340 

Okra gumbo 340 

Soup, potato 341 

Soup, tomato 341 

Southern gumbo fela .341 

Soup, tomato ,342 

Soup, turkey 342 

Soup, green turtle .342 

Soup, Soyer's cheap ,343 

Soup, Soyer's cheap 344 

Aspic jelly for garnishing 345 

Aspic jelly, slock 345 

Sauce, bechamel 345 

Sauce, anchovy .346 

Sauce, bread 346 

Sauce, brown 346 

Sauce, cucumber .346 

Sauce. Chili 347 

Sauce, caper ;M7 

Sauce, celery 347 

Sauce, egg 347 

Sauce, fish 347 

Sauce, Hollandaise 347 

Sauce, hot, for meats 348 

Sauce, horse-radish 348 

Sauce, mushroom 348 

Sauce, mint 348 

Sauce, mustard 349 

Mustard, prepared 349 

Mustard, made .349 

Sauce mayonnaise 349 

Sauce maitre d' hotel 3.")0 

Butter maitre d' hotel 3.50 

Sauce, oyster 350 

Sauce, piquant 350 

Sauce, tomato 351 

Forcemeat, almond 351 

Forcemeat, chestnut 351 

Forcemeat balls 3.52 

Forcemeat for fish, etc 352 

Forcemeat for game 3.52 

Forcemeat for turkey . . .352 

Forcemeat, oyster 353 

XXVII. Fdrnituke. 

Furniture covers 354 

Use of varnish 354 

How to make an ottoman 355 

To render new mahogany like old 355 

To clean furniture 3.55 

Dirty or stained furniture 3.56 

To clean paint .3.56 

To make glue .356 

To revive gilt frames 3.57 

Magic furniture polish 357 

XXVIII. House Pests. 

Camphor a remedy for mice 3.58 

Rats, t o drive away alive 3.59 

Rats, how to deal with 359 

To destroy bed bugs, moths, and other 

vermin 3.59 

To prevent red ants 360 

How to get rid of flies 360 

Mosquitoes 361 



698 



CONTENTS. 



XXIX. Toilet. Page 

Cleaning gloves 362 

Hair receivers 362 

Toilet cushions 362 

Shaving cases 363 

To clean hair-brushes and combs 363 

To clean jewelry 363 

Cologne water (2) 364 

Cold cream 364 

Lip salve 364 

Lavender water 364 

To clean gold chains 364 

To clean gill jewelry 365 

To remove a tight ring 365 

Grease eraser 365 

Cure for chapped hands 365 

Care of the teeth 365 

Offensive feet 366 

For freckles 366 

Care of the nails 366 

XXX. Kitchen. 

Care of silver 367 

New kettles 36;' 

To purify water 367 

Washing dishes 368 

Cleaning tinware 363 

The griddle 36S 

Coal ashes good to scour with 368 

How to triumph over absent-mindedness 368 

An economical crumb-cloth 363 

Scraping kettles 363 

How to keep lamp chimneys clean 369 

How to start a fire 370 

To make fire kindlings 370 

How to polish a stove easily 370 

How to use the oil stove 370 

Blacking stoves 371 

How to clean mica 371 

To clean knives 372 

To keep a kitchen table clean 372 

XXXI. The Laundry. 

To clean colored fabrics 373 

Muslin dresses 374 

Laces 375 

To bleach laces, etc 3)6 

To stiffen linen 376 

To clean cloth 377 

To clean black silk 377 

To clean black merino, etc 378 

To renovate crape 378 

Washing clothes 378 

Washing chintz 379 

To remove spots of wax (2) 379 

To clean carpets 379 

For bleaching cotton cloth 379 

To clean light kid gloves 379 

To clean white silk lace 380 

Starch polish 3S0 

Washing fluid 380 

Gem washing fluid .381 

Hard soap 381 

Soft soap 381 

How to wash flannels 381 

How to keep black gloves from crocking 382 

To remove scorches 332 

Washing towels 382 

How to do up shirt bosoms 383 



XXXII. Sewing Room. Page 

Saving thread 384 

Window shades 384 

Scrap bags SSi 

Sewing on buttons 385 

Marking handkerchiefs 385 

Table covers 385 

Taking care of stockings 388 

Putting away stockings 386 

To preserve old stockings ,386 

Home-made work baskets 386 

XXXIU. Dyeing, Etc. 

Remarks 388 

Silks- 
Black 388 

Brown— very beautiful 388 

Crimson 388 

Green— very handsome 388 

Light blue 389 

Old gold 389 

Orange 389 

Purple 389 

Skv blue 389 

Yellow 389 

Woollen goods- 
Blue- quick process .390 

Chrome black— best in use 390 

Green 390 

Madder red 393 

Orange 390 

Pink 390 

Scarlet— very fine 391 

Snuff brown— dark 391 

Snuff brown — any shade 391 

Wine color 391 

Crimson 391 

Dove and slate 391 

Purple 391 

Salmon 392 

Yellow— rich 392 

Cotton goods- 
Black 392 

Green 302 

Orange 302 

Red 392 

Sky blue 393 

Yellow 393 

Cotton carpet rags- 
Blue 393 

Yellow 393 

Orange 394 

Green 394 

To remove stains — 

Ink stains (3) 394 

Port wine stains 394 

To remove mildew 39 4 

Stains in silk. 304 

Acid, tea, wine, and other stains 394 

Stains caused by scorching 395 

How to restore stained muslin 395 

Stains caused by mildew 396 

Linen 306 

Stains on mahogany, etc 396 

Silver and electro-plate stains 396 

To take ink stains from mahogany. . 396 
Oil stains 397 



CONTENTS. 



699 



XXXIV. Odds and Ends. Page 

How to protect the dress 398 

Putting up curtains ^•'" 

Window gardens, ••■•••v ono 

To keep boys and girls at home dJJ 

Lining stair carpets • ^^^ 

Putting away Vv>ollen goods rfJJ 

Pretty and simple ornaments. ... ... . • . . o^J 

How to mike au old Japanese umbrella 



400 
400 



403 
404 
40.5 
40.5 



useful . . 
To remove paint and putty from wm- 

dow glass 

To preserve natural flowers 400 

Eggs, to preserve for wmter use 400 

Charcoal for flowers 401 

To revive gilt frames wi 

Floor-cloths ^Xj 

To pot butler for winter use 40i 

To prevent rust 4U1 

X ilSCtJ ■ •" •••••• Af\^y 

French polish • ; • ji~ 

To preserve steel ornaments from rust. 40- 

To preserve flowers 40J 

Incombustible dresses 4"* 

Home-made table syrup 4U.J 

The chromograph 

Lime water 

Preserving autumn leaves, 

Skeleton leaves 

To restore frozen plants 4Ub 

For crystallizing grass fJ^ 

Frosting for windows •.•••• 4^ 

Black tracing paper w< 

Sympathetic ink ^' 

Valuable cement *"i 

Diamond cement •••"■,: lin^ 

Cement for rubber or leather 40^ 

"Weights and measures 40» 



XXXV. The Sick Room. 

Remarks ^ 

Pp.nada J'Sf. 

Arrowroot jelly %' 

Beef tea(2) «0 

Chicken panada *^o 

Egg c ream ^^'j' 

Soup for mvalids ■'•^i 

Gruel 431 

Egg gruel jf.!: 

Gruel for infants. *i] 

Beef jelly for invalids 4di 

XXXVI. Health Items. 

Becipe for cold 432 

Cough mixture ji-- 

To remove warts ■ ■ • ■ *^~- 

To prevent nails growing into the toe. . . 4.^.- 

To prevent the nightmare 4.H 

The use of a raw egg +;;j 

How to make a sand bag f'-j 

Worm remedy : jlV* 

Sleep as a medicine *^ 

New cure for wounds *]? 

A mu.-staid plaster ^-jo 

A cure for diphtheria *;^° 

BiUous headache ^:™ 

A remedy for cold feet «^ 

. The opium habit *^° 

Antidotes for poisons *>• 



Page 

External use of castor oil 4:38 

Treatment of the supposed drowned — 4o8 

Cure for burns '139 

Grandmother's salve for everything 440 

Cholera remedy 440 

Fig paste for constipation 440 

Cure for chilblains 440 

For canker sore mouth 441 

Cure for corns 441 

Ring- worm 441 

Cure for rheumatism and bilious head- 
ache 441 

For felon (2)! '.'.'. 441 

Toothache 441 

Cure for neuralgia 442 

Tincture of iodine for corns 442 

Small-pox remedy 442 

For hydrophobia 44.i 

Flannels for fomentations 443 

For hoarseness 444 

For sore throat 444 

Healing lotion 444 

To prevent contagion 444 

For toothache ^44 

For headache • • • 444 

To stop bleeding 44^ 

To restore from stroke of lightning 445 

Salve for chilblains 445 

To remove discolorations from bniises . 445 

Cure for wasp stings 445 

Cure for summer complaint 44o 

The best deodorizer 445 



XXXVII. Cake and Ctn^TURE of Children. 

446 

4,51 
454 



Sleep . . 
Exercise 



Food ..„ 

RicejeUy 456 

Arrowroot ^-i' 

Milk and bread 457 

Wheaten grits 4af 

Hominv and milk 43f 

Graham hasty pudding 4..>» 

Rice flour hasty pudding 4oS 

Milk porridge 45a 

Mush and milk ,- 45a 

Condensed milk 403 

Moral influence— obedience 4oo 

XXXVm. The DiNiNa-RooM. 

General remarks - • • ■ 463 

Decoration of the dmner table 4b5 

Company dinner 4, J 

Menu for company dmner 4'^ 

Party dinner Jij 

Menu for party dinner *'* 

A word to the guest 4/.t 

Home dinner ^'' 

Coffees and luncheons 4»" 

Luncheons ■ • *''^ 

Menu for company dinner for eacn 

month •••I-.-- '*»'« 

Allowance of suppUes for an entertam- 

ment - ■■•■ 4*=6 

Cold limches for wash days, or other 

days of extra labor 4^' 

Economical dinners ^°' 



600 



CONTENTS. 



XXXIX. The Aquarium. Page 

Fresh water aquarium 488 

Marine aquarium 496 

XL. Care op Canaries. 

Remarks 505 

Choosing the birds . . 505 

Taming 506 

Cages 51)6 

Batlis 506 

Food and water 507 

Breeding canaries 507 

XLI. Floriculture. 

Remarks 509 

Trelhsed windows 510 

Arbors and rockeries 514 

Rockeries 519 

Indoor gardens 5d0 

Ferneries 5;i9 

XLII. The Picnic 534-39 

XLIII. Garden Parties 540-45 

XLIV. Camping Out 546-51 

XLV. Daughters 552-55 

XLVI. IIousE Painting. 

Remarks 557 

Mixing paints— 

A lieautiful white paint 559 

For a pure white paint 5(0 

To mix common white paint 5i,0 

For knotting 560 

Common flesh color 560 

Fine flesh color 5ti0 

A beautiful color for carriages, etc. 560 

Cream color ■ 560 

Pearl gray 560 

Fawn color 560 

Blue 560 

Buff 560 

Straw 561 

Drab (2) .^361 

Steel 561 

Purple 561 

Violet 561 

French gray 561 

Silver 561 

Gold 561 

Dark chestnut 561 

Salmon 561 

Peach blossom , . , 661 



Pagb 

Lead 561 

Chocolate 563 

Dark red for common purposes 562 

Orange 562 

Bright yellow for floors, etc 562 

Dark yellow 562 

Light yellow 562 

Olive green (4) 562 

Olive green 563 

Light green 563 

Grass green 563 

Invisible green for outside work 563 

To paint a bronze 563 

A good imitation of gold 563 

Tar paint for fences, etc 563 

Paint driers 563 

Milk paint for indoor work 564 

Lime whitewash 564 

Italian marble 564 

To imitate granite 565 

A cheap oak varnish 565 

Common oil varnish 565 

Transparent varnish for pictures. . . 565 
For varnishing on wood, unpainted. 565 
Waterproof varnish for linen or 

calico 566 

Instructions 566 

XLVII. The Care of the Hair 567-70 



XLVIII. Household Amusements. 

Remarks 571 

The ball of wool 571 

Shadows 572 

The messenger 572 

Magic music 573 

The courtiers 574 

The dumb orator 574 

Speaking buflC 575 

The shopkeepers 575 

Twirling the trencher 576 

Proverbs 57'6 

The newspaper 577 

Comical combinations £78 

Buz 579 

The knight of the whistle 580 

Catch the ring 580 

Scandal 581 

The wild beast show 581 

The genteel lady always genteel 581 

Dumb crambo 583 

The giantess 583 

A blind judgment 584 

The great orator 584 

This and that 585 

Qlossart 1 1 1 • • 586 







.( ln'io».-»i 



